OTTAWA — With Navdeep Bains set to retire from politics by not running in the next federal election, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a cabinet shuffle this morning that now sees Saint-Maurice—Champlain MP François-Philippe Champagne (above), currently foreign affairs minister, become the minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (which we’ve been stuck on calling ISED, the ministry’s former name. We’ll start calling it ISI after this).
The largely rural riding’s primary community is Shawinigan.
“In his new role, Minister Champagne will rely on his extensive business experience in the fields of energy, engineering, and innovation to assist our economic recovery from the global Covid-19 pandemic, create new jobs for Canadians, and grow our middle class. He will also use his experience to help the government work with the manufacturing, natural resource, and energy sectors as they transition to meet a net-zero future. As the representative of a rural riding, he also deeply understands the needs and priorities of Canadians living in rural communities, including the importance of improving high-speed Internet access that will empower communities across the country and strengthen Canada’s competitiveness,” reads the cabinet shuffle announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Current transport minister Marc Garneau becomes minister of foreign affairs in the portfolio shuffle.
The PMO statement went on to say: “The Prime Minister thanked the Honourable Navdeep Bains for his friendship, support, and counsel over their many years working together in Parliament. He also thanked Mr. Bains for his dedication over the last five years as Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. During this time, Mr. Bains launched a new national space strategy and created the Strategic Innovation Fund to attract and support business investments across all sectors of the economy. More recently, he played a central role in Canada’s response to the global Covid-19 pandemic by leading Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight Covid-19, and overseeing the creation of the Covid-19 immunity, vaccine, and therapeutics task forces. Mr. Bains will continue to serve his community and all Canadians as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga–Malton.”
In an emailed statement from the Canadian Wireless and Telecommunications Association, CWTA president and CEO Robert Ghiz expressed his thanks to Bains for his service to Canada as ISED minister and for his commitment to Canada’s mobile wireless industry.
“Over the past 5 years, we had the opportunity to work with Minister Bains and in particular, during this pandemic, where he recognized the importance of the mobile and telecommunications industry as being essential to sustaining Canada’s economy and keeping Canadians connected,” wrote Ghiz.
“Working with the Government of Canada, we believe that facilities-based competition is the best way to achieve the objectives of high-quality services, wide network coverage, and affordable prices. This approach has resulted in billions of dollars of private investment and the fastest mobile networks in the world,” said Ghiz. “We look forward to working with Minister François-Philippe Champagne over the coming weeks and months.”
