OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shook up his cabinet Tuesday in a bid to adjust to the upheaval wrought by incoming American president Donald Trump to international affairs in general and Canada's relationship with the United States in particular.
He entrusted to Chrystia Freeland -- a former economics journalist with extensive contacts in the United States -- the crucial responsibility of navigating the changing domestic and global dynamic as his Liberal government prepares to deal with an unpredictable and avowedly America-first Trump administration.
Freeland leaves the international trade portfolio, where she distinguished herself overcoming eleventh-hour obstacles to a Canada-European free trade agreement, to replace veteran Liberal MP Stephane Dion at Global Affairs. And she will retain responsibility for Canada-U.S. trade relations.
"Obviously, the new administration to the south will present particular both opportunities and challenges as well as a shifting global context," Trudeau told a news conference following a swearing-in ceremony that saw Dion and fellow veteran John McCallum leave politics altogether, MaryAnn Mihychuk return to the backbenches and three newcomers welcomed into the inner circle.
"We are always going to be expected by Canadians to adjust and to put our best team forward in dealing with the important issues that matter to Canadians, whether it be the relationship with the United States, whether it be the relationship with China, whether it be how we engage with Europe."
Trudeau expressed confidence in his government's ability to work with the Trump administration, which officially takes over on Jan. 20. But he repeated his assertion that he'll continue to stand up for Canada's values and principles.
And on that score, some of his other cabinet choices appeared to reflect his determination to chart a different course to the populist, protectionist, anti-immigration Trump regime.
He named rookie Toronto MP Ahmed Hussen, a Somali refugee, to the immigration portfolio vacated by McCallum, who oversaw the welcoming of 25,000 Syrian refugees.
"We've always been generous by opening our doors and opening our hearts and we've been the better for it," Hussen said. "The story of Canada is the story of immigration."
McCallum will become Canada's new ambassador to China, signalling just how serious Trudeau is about expanding relations with the world's most populous country, including exploratory talks on a free trade deal. The prime minister referred repeatedly Tuesday to the need to pivot toward Europe and Asian countries, evidently in response to the more protectionist mood in the U.S.
Even in his choice of Freeland as foreign affairs minister, Trudeau signalled a different course from Trump, who has taken a much friendlier stance than Canada on Russia, which has been accused by the CIA of interfering in last fall's U.S. presidential election.
Freeland is a Canadian of Ukrainian descent who made decidedly undiplomatic remarks about Russia in the wake of that country's military incursions into Ukraine in 2014. That same year, she and 12 other Canadians were barred from entering the country as part of a series of retaliatory sanctions imposed by President Vladimir Putin.
Asked about her ability to navigate the Trump-Putin relationship, given her history, Trudeau would only say: "She speaks fluent Russian."
"We continue to stand strongly with Ukraine ... and continue to condemn in no uncertain terms the illegitimate and illegal actions of the Russians in Ukraine," he added.
Freeland, who worked as a journalist in Moscow for four years, said she agrees with her government's position that "it is important to engage with all countries around the world, including Russia," noting that her background and familiarity with the country makes her uniquely qualified for the role.
On the subject of whether she'd be allowed to travel there, she said, "That's a question for Moscow."
Quebec MP Francois-Philippe Champagne, until now parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, replaces Freeland at international trade. Rookie Burlington MP Karina Gould is the third newcomer, taking Democratic Institutions from Maryam Monsef, who was demoted to Status of Women.
Trudeau dismissed suggestions that the change in Democratic Institutions signals a move away from his vaunted promise to do away with Canada's so-called "first-past-the-post" voting system in time for the next election in 2019.
"I continue to be committed towards renewing our electoral system, there's no question about that, and I look forward to having Karina continue on the extraordinary work Maryam did over the past year of reaching out to Canadians, engaging with them and talking about how best to improve our democracy," he said.
"This is something that matters deeply to Canadians, it matters deeply to us, and to me."
Patty Hajdu, a strong performer who shone as status of women minister, takes over the labour portfolio from Mihychuk.
Trudeau heaped praise on Dion, whom he called a friend. But the fact that there was no immediate indication of a plum diplomatic posting for the one-time federal Liberal leader made clear that Dion is not leaving willingly.
"Over the last 21 years, I have devoted myself to my riding, to my fellow citizens, to Quebec, to all of Canada, to the role that we must play in the world, and to the Liberal Party of Canada," Dion said in a statement released in the midst of the swearing-in ceremony.
"I have enjoyed political life, especially when I was able to make a difference to benefit my fellow citizens. I emerge full of energy ... renewable! But politics is not the only way to serve one's country. Fortunately!"
Dion's tenure at Foreign Affairs has been a rocky one, marred by controversy over his approval of a $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. His prickly demeanour was also seen as ill-suited to dealing with Trump, who has demonstrated a tendency to easily take offence.
Trudeau said he has offered the former minister "a very important senior position that is going to be key for me in the coming years" and that Dion "is rightly taking his time to consider" whether to accept it.
Sources not authorized to speak publicly on the matter say Dion rejected an ambassadorship to France because it would have required him to give up his dual French citizenship. He was subsequently offered another diplomatic post, possibly ambassador to the United Nations or to the European Union.
Trudeau also paid tribute to McCallum, calling his work in the immigration portfolio on behalf of Syrian refugees "an inspiration to Canadians and an example to the world."
In his first cabinet of 30 ministers, Trudeau famously appointed an equal number of men and women "because it's 2015." That parity was upset last fall when Hunter Tootoo resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus in order to seek treatment for alcohol addiction following what he later admitted was an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.
Tuesday's shuffle restores that gender balance.
Meet the new ministers around PM Trudeau's table
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brought three not-so-familiar faces into his federal cabinet Tuesday and placed them in key roles. Here's a closer look:
Francois-Philippe Champagne -- International Trade
The Liberal MP representing the Quebec riding of Saint-Maurice-Champlain had made no secret of his desire to be in cabinet one day.
"It's for Mr. Trudeau to decide, but I know the people on his economic team," Champagne said soon after his election victory in 2015.
That did not happen right away, but Champagne built up a profile as the parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
He has now been granted a much bigger role, taking over international trade from Chrystia Freeland -- a key economic portfolio at a time when the Canadian government is grappling with how to handle the protectionist promises of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
That being said, Freeland, who is moving to replace Stephane Dion as foreign affairs minister, will remain the lead on the trading relationship between Canada and the U.S.
Champagne was upbeat Tuesday about the remainder of the file, saying there are a lot of trade issues and relationships around the world in need of some development.
"It's a big planet," he said.
Still, he will likely view this role as a step on the way to another one.
Champagne, who has a background as a lawyer, businessman and international trade specialist and had the support of former prime minister Jean Chretien during his election campaign, is said by those who know him to regularly discuss his dream of one day becoming prime minister.
Ahmed Hussen -- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Ahmed Hussen came to Canada as a refugee from Mogadishu, Somalia, when he was a teenager.
A lawyer and community activist, Hussen became the first Somali-Canadian to be elected to the House of Commons in 2015 when he won the Toronto riding of York South-Weston.
Now immigration minister, Hussen said that everyone in politics brings their own background and experience to the role they play.
"I'm no different in that sense," he said.
"I'll bring my experience as an immigrant to Canada but also as an immigration lawyer, someone who worked many, many years before running for office as a community activist, a community organizer and a community advocate."
Hussen served as national president of the Canadian Somali Congress, where he worked on integration of that community, once also appearing before the U.S. Homeland Security Committee to discuss how isolation can lead to radicalization.
"A minority of them become alienated and fall victim to a narrative that turns them against Canada and the United States, the very countries that have sustained them and also gave refuge to their parents as they fled the brutal civil war in Somalia," he said.
On Tuesday, Hussen said he is proud of the record Canada has on being a place of asylum. "We've been the better for it."
Hussen takes over the immigration file from John McCallum, who is being appointed Canada's ambassador to China.
Karina Gould -- Democratic Institutions
The Liberal MP for Burlington gets a promotion after serving as parliamentary secretary to International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.
She worked as a trade and investment specialist with the Mexican Trade Commission before entering politics, but also has a background in international development.
She spent a year volunteering at an orphanage in Mexico, for example, and also organized a fundraising campaign for the victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti when she was an undergraduate student at McGill University.
She also worked as a consultant with the migration and development program at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C., before heading to do a graduate degree in international relations at the University of Oxford.
She takes over the portfolio from Maryam Monsef, who has been widely criticized for how she handled the Liberal promise to change the way Canadians cast their ballots in time for the next federal election.
Gould did not get into any specifics about where she plans to take the troubled file, but said she was looking forward to reviewing where things are and seeing where the government could take things from there.
"I really do believe that we can get the best system for Canadians," she said.
Monsef is moving to Status of Women to replace Patty Hajdu, who is taking over as labour minister.
