No more industry minister, Bains becomes innovation minister

Navdeep Bains, MP for the Ontario riding of Mississauga-Malton, was named minister of innovation, science and economic development on Wednesday, a post intended to replace what was previously the position of industry minister. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet were sworn in Wednesday, following the election of a Liberal government on Oct. 19. Though the 31-member cabinet did not include an industry minister, Privy Council Office spokesman Raymond Rivet confirmed in an email that the new innovation, science and economic development minister is the working title for the minister of industry, a position that has been responsible for overseeing matters related to telecommunications, such as spectrum. Industry Canada’s Twitter account posted a message congratulating “Minister Bains, Minister Chagger and Minister Duncan” on Wednesday afternoon. Bardish Chagger is the new minister of small business and tourism, while Kirsty Duncan is the minister of science. Bains has six years of experience as an MP and was first elected in 2004 at the age of 26, his bio on Ryerson University’s website notes. In 2011, he lost his riding to then-Conservative MP Eve Adams. In Parliament, he briefly served as parliamentary secretary to the prime minister before Paul Martin’s Liberal government was defeated in the 2006 election, and then as Liberal critic for public works and government services, the Treasury Board, international trade, natural resources, and small business and tourism, according to his campaign website. Following his stint as an MP, he worked as a distinguished visiting professor at the Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management and as adjunct lecturer at the University of Waterloo, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has an MBA in finance, according to his campaign website, which adds that as “a Certified Management Accountant, he has worked several years in accounting and financial analysis for the Ford Motor Company of Canada.” Trudeau named rookie MP Mélanie Joly as heritage minister, who is responsible for overseeing the CRTC and CBC/Radio-Canada. Joly, who first gained public attention during a run for mayor of Montreal in 2013 in which she came in second, previously worked as a lawyer before becoming managing partner at the Montreal office of communications company Cohn and Wolfe, according to her campaign website. The MP for the Montreal riding of Ahuntsic–Cartierville has law degrees from Université de Montréal and the University of Oxford, the website adds. Eight years ago, she interned as a journalist at CBC, Radio-Canada journalist Marie-Maude Denis said on Twitter Wednesday, noting that Joly is now the minister responsible for the public broadcaster. Within hours of her swearing in, the Canada Media Guild issued a press release, calling on the minister to “consider immediate bridge funding” for the CBC, to quickly implement “a straightforward and independent process to select a new board of directors … and select a new CBC/Radio-Canada president at the earliest opportunity,” and reverse “Conservative measures allowing political interference in day-to-day operations at CBC/Radio-Canada.” The union recently called for the resignation of CBC president and CEO Hubert Lacroix. Joly told reporters following the ministers’ first cabinet meeting late Wednesday that she was “excited to start a new era in terms of fostering great relationships with the cultural milleu.” In response to questions about the Liberals’ pledge to increase CBC funding, Joly said the party will keep its promise. She referred to comments made by Treasury Board president Scott Brison during their joint press conference about the public service, stating that “our public servants need to be appreciated again. But that will also apply for those working for CBC and Radio-Canada.” In response to a question about whether she supports calls for Lacroix’s resignation, she said that she would be looking at the issues involved in a more in-depth way in the coming days. “I will have the opportunity to meet the teams and learn how to show new appreciation for the CBC/Radio-Canada and try push for the digital transformation of CBC/Radio-Canada and ensure that we have a public broadcaster we’re extremely proud of,” she said in French, according to simultaneous translation. She added in English: “During the coming days … I’ll have the chance to get all the right information to make sure that we empower CBC/Radio-Canada, that we re-invest in the people that are fundamental to our culture, and that we have a very strong public broadcaster.” Bains also appeared in front of reporters Wednesday, though he did not speak about any telecom-related issues. — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and editing by Derek Abma at dabma@thewirereport.ca

No more industry minister, Bains becomes innovation minister

News | November 4, 2015

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No more industry minister, Bains becomes innovation minister

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