Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada’s 22nd prime minister today. He heads the country’s first Conservative government since 1993.

Harper named a 27 ministers to his cabinet. He has tapped former Ontario finance minister, Jim Flaherty, to serve as his new finance chief.

In announcing the new cabinet, Harper reaffirmed the government’s intention to focus on five key priorities: cleaning up government by enacting and enforcing the Federal Accountability Act; lowering taxes for working Canadians, starting with a reduction to the GST; strengthening the justice system; supporting the child care choices of parents; and, establishing a patient wait times guarantee with the provinces.

“My smaller cabinet and more streamlined cabinet structure are designed for work — not for show,” said Harper. “The team is talented and balanced, reflecting our national diversity. The 26 ministers are equal members of the team, ensuring equal voices from all regions of Canada. The structure is designed to promote accountable, efficient and effective government — more focus and purpose; less process and cost.”

Two cabinet committees — operations and priorities and planning — have been created to ensure effective day-to-day governing and to provide strategic direction. Three policy committees — social affairs; economic affairs; and foreign affairs and national security — will identify the means to achieve these strategic priorities. Finally, Treasury Board will examine initiatives to strengthen government accountability.

In addition, a number of changes to the structure and organization of government have been made to promote accountability, efficiency and effectiveness: the departments of Human Resources and Skills Development and Social Development have been consolidated into one Department of Human Resources and Social Development to ensure integrated policy development, as well as improved delivery of programs and services through Service Canada.

The departments of Foreign Affairs and International Trade have been reintegrated to ensure a coherent approach to foreign affairs and international commerce and to better coordinate the provision of services to Canadians both at home and abroad. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of International Trade will be supported by their respective divisions in the new Department. CIDA will also be part of this portfolio to ensure a coordinated approach to international development.

The Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists has been transferred from the Industry portfolio to the Treasury Board portfolio as a stand-alone office, to increase its independence while the government works to further revise and strengthen the Lobbyists Registration Act.

A Transport, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio has been created to better link urban, interprovincial and international infrastructure development. The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities will accordingly be responsible for the Office of Infrastructure Canada, as well as the National Capital Commission. In addition, a number of Crown corporations, including the Canada Lands Company and Canada Post, have been transferred to this portfolio to ensure a more consistent approach to Crown corporation governance and ministerial accountability.

Former Liberal David Emerson crossed the floor and will take the International Trade portfolio.

Jean-Pierre Blackburn will be Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency.

Carol Skelton will be Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification.

John Baird will head the Treasury Board, and Maxime Bernier is to be Minister of Industry.


The Tory cabinet kicked off their first day in office by pledging to move ahead on July 1 with a campaign child-care plan that includes a $1,200 a year payment for every child under age six.

Harper, after his first cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon, said he would reconvene Parliament on April 3 and put the child-care proposal before the House in a spring federal budget.