Trudeau shakes up cabinet, names new transport minister
Pablo Rodriguez is set to be sworn in as the new transport minister, taking the baton on a raft of turbulent issues as the aviation sector emerges from a period of crisis.
A manager by training, Rodriguez leaves his spot atop the Heritage Department to take over from Omar Alghabra, who assumed the cabinet post in January 2021 while the pandemic pummelled the travel industry.
Alghabra steered the government through negotiations with airlines on financial aid, Covid-19 testing at airports and a new passenger rights charter. He also handled a range of trucking files, including the implementation of an electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, the handling of Covid-related travel restrictions, and federal driver training issues.
Rodriguez, who was first elected in 2004, will take over on topline items including nascent plans for a high-frequency railway between Toronto and Quebec City, ongoing supply chain hitches and infrastructure vulnerable to natural disasters amid increasingly extreme weather.
Alghabra announced his decision Tuesday not to run in the next election, with the new transport chief set to be sworn in today at Rideau Hall.
Two-thirds of portfolios have changed hands in this morning’s major cabinet shuffle in Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has brought in seven rookie ministers and moved around some of his key ministers.
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All this movement costs money….when you fire someone they get paid I am sure it is no different here….a minister with a portfolio makes more than one who doesn’t have one. Trying to save face with the voters for the screw ups made by the 2/3rds he is shuffulling around. Lost of expertise time while this new ministers take the fall to learn their new jobs! As usuall, Trudeau BSl leads the way in getting headlines…he should be gone at the very least be serving time for his breaches of trust, the Wii situation and spendetures not required in his feeble attempts to get a seat on the security council…i.e. a private concert put on by Celine Dion exclusively for the members of the UN. Can someone explain how Diesel fuel went from 60 cents more than unleaded last year to be priced now below the price of unleaded?(Which is where it should be as it is an unprocessed fuel in essence and please don’t bullshit me with Glycol additives for the winter!)