logo

Prime Minister Carney announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service

Cision Canada4 hours ago

OTTAWA, ON, /CNW/ - Canada's new government has a mandate for change. A stronger Canada depends on a strong and effective public service – one that is focused on execution, delivery, and impact.
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the public service:
Jean-François Tremblay, currently Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, becomes Senior Official at the Privy Council Office, effective June 30, 2025, while he prepares for his upcoming role as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Mollie Johnson, currently Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans and Consultations) and, concurrently, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Clean Growth), Privy Council Office, becomes Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change, effective June 30, 2025.
Nancy Hamzawi, currently Executive Vice-President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, becomes President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, effective June 20, 2025.
Alison O'Leary, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, effective June 30, 2025.
The Prime Minister also announced that Kaili Levesque, Associate Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, will provide direct support to the Secretary of State (Nature), and that Mark Schaan, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Artificial Intelligence), Privy Council Office, will provide direct support to the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate Heather Jeffrey, former President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, on her recent retirement from the public service. He thanked her and Suzy McDonald, Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, for their dedication and service to Canadians throughout their careers and wished them all the best in the future.
This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

House approves Bill C-5 to fast-track projects, Carney pledges summer consultations with Indigenous leaders
House approves Bill C-5 to fast-track projects, Carney pledges summer consultations with Indigenous leaders

Globe and Mail

time26 minutes ago

  • Globe and Mail

House approves Bill C-5 to fast-track projects, Carney pledges summer consultations with Indigenous leaders

The House of Commons approved the government's legislation to fast-track big projects Friday before breaking for summer, wrapping up a brief but hectic four-week sitting. Prime Minister Mark Carney marked the event with an evening news conference alongside Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and other MPs, where he vowed to address Indigenous concerns that the bill would allow Ottawa to override their rights. Mr. Carney laid out a plan for formal summits with Indigenous leaders over the summer to work out the details of how the new project regime will work. He also acknowledged that his government could have done a better job of explaining how the process will ensure Indigenous rights are protected. 'Being a reliable partner to Indigenous peoples is not just about upholding the duty to consult. It's about enabling the creation of long-term wealth and prosperity for Indigenous peoples through full equity ownership,' he said. Carney responds to Indigenous criticism of Bill C-5, says consultation is 'at the heart' of legislation Bill C-5 contains a section that aims to eliminate federal barriers to interprovincial trade and a section that allows the government to list specific large projects as national priorities and then exempt them from various legal requirements to speed up approvals. Mr. Carney said the plan was a central plank of the Liberal platform and pledged that it will be 'the most important economic initiative this country has seen for a long time.' Ms. Gull-Masty, the first Indigenous person to serve as Indigenous Services Minister, said the bill lays out a plan to co-develop projects with Indigenous communities. 'Now the real work begins,' she said. The House of Commons is not scheduled to resume sitting until Sept. 15. But the Indigenous consultations on C-5 are just one of many policy files that will continue to play out over the summer. Canada's 45th Parliament kicked off just a month after the April 28 federal election that returned the Liberals to power with another minority government, this time under Mr. Carney, the party's new leader. Trade tensions with the United States dominated Canadian political debate during the election campaign and that has carried through the early days of the Carney government. Chartrand on Bill C-5: 'We do have to have consent from Indigenous rights holders' The Prime Minister and U.S. President Donald Trump set a 30-day deadline at this week's Group of Seven summit in Kananaskis, Alta., to reach a deal aimed at resolving trade issues between the two countries. Mr. Carney leaves Sunday for Brussels and then The Hague for meetings of the Canada-European Union summit and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit. In an interview Friday in Parliament's West Block, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said Canadians should not expect Mr. Carney's pace to slow down during the summer. 'I think that we have a Prime Minister who very much is going to be a 365-day-a-year leader of this country,' he said. Further, he said the sheer number of outside issues that require attention, such as recent developments in the Middle East or wildfires across the country, means there is no slow period in government. 'The pace of events when one is in public life today is beyond dizzying,' he said. In addition to negotiating defence issues with the Europeans and trade matters with Mr. Trump, Mr. Carney's pledge to release a 2025 budget shortly after Parliament resumes means the traditional prebudget lobbying and consultation will run through the summer. Explainer: What federal Bill C-5, the One Canadian Economy Act, is all about Mr. MacKinnon boasted that the Liberals accomplished a lot in a short period, listing the adoption of tax cuts, billions of dollars more for the military and the passing of Bill C-5. In addition to C-5, the House of Commons adopted two bills related to approving government spending. However, other legislation related to border security and tax cuts did not get through the House. Both bills contain elements that are drawing strong criticism from privacy advocates. The tax measures, including an income-tax cut and removing the federal fuel charge, can still go ahead, however, because they were approved in an earlier vote. The government treats tax changes as if they are in place once legislation has received an initial vote of support. Bill C-5 is widely expected to be approved by the Senate next week. Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said Mr. Carney has not delivered on his campaign pledges to curb government spending, which is why his party voted against two spending bills this week. 'Maybe he gets some points for new rhetoric, but so far, it's pretty much the same Liberal approach on borrowing, spending, talking down our energy sector, refusing to commit to new big energy projects and defending the Liberal crime policies,' he said in an interview Friday. 'Nothing's off the table': AFN warns of potential legal action if Bill C-5 passes The Conservatives supported C-5 and Mr. Scheer said the party will continue to vote in favour of measures if they involve lower taxes or improving the economy. 'If the government is serious about meeting those objectives, we work with them. And if they don't, then we oppose,' he said. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet predicted this week that when the Conservatives return in the fall, after party leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to regain a seat via a summer by-election, the party will be less likely to support the Liberals in the House. 'At a certain point, the Conservatives will return to being Conservatives,' he said at a news conference Wednesday, adding that the Liberals will then be more dependent on Bloc support. NDP interim leader Don Davies said that the Liberals under Mr. Carney are adopting more conservative policies. 'So far, I think the empirical evidence from the Carney government is absolutely that they're a right of centre government,' he said in an interview Friday. 'I mean, the first three things that Mr. Carney did was he ripped three policies directly out of the Conservative playbook. He cancelled the carbon tax, he cancelled the capital-gains inclusion policy and he indicated he was going to cut public service jobs,' he said. Having been reduced to just seven seats in the April election, the NDP no longer has party status and is not invited to the weekly meetings of House leaders that sets the parliamentary agenda. Nonetheless, Mr. Davies said his party has been effective at securing amendments to government legislation and bringing public attention to issues such as wildfires in Western Canada.

Opinion: Plastics threaten human health, but solutions are under political fire
Opinion: Plastics threaten human health, but solutions are under political fire

The Province

time2 hours ago

  • The Province

Opinion: Plastics threaten human health, but solutions are under political fire

Opinion: There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in our food and in us — they can cause metabolic disorders and interfere with immune and reproductive systems Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve. Photo by JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS Negotiations toward a global, legally binding plastics treaty are set to resume this summer, with the United Nations Environment Programme announcing that an intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution will reconvene in August. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The committee was established to develop an international legally binding instrument — known as the plastics treaty — to end plastic pollution, one of the fastest-growing environmental threats. Globally, 40 per cent of plastics production goes into the production of single-use plastic packaging, which is the single largest source of plastic waste and is a threat to wildlife and human health. Without meaningful action, global plastic waste is projected to nearly triple by 2060, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion tonnes. As the world prepares for another round of talks, Canada's own plastic problem reveals what's at stake, and what's possible for the future. Canada's plastic problem Canada is no exception to the global plastic crisis. Nearly half (47 per cent) of all plastic waste in Canada comes from the food and drink sector, contributing 3,268 million tonnes annually. Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and nearly 57 million straws daily, yet only nine per cent of plastics are recycled — a figure that is not expected to improve. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Most of Canada's plastic — except for plastic bottles made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) — is uneconomical or difficult to recycle because of the complexity of mixed plastics used in our economy. As a result, 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste — equivalent to the weight of 24 CN Towers — end up in landfills every year. This is not a trivial problem. Plastic pollution poses growing risks to both urban and rural infrastructure. In addition to landfill overflow, around one per cent of Canada's plastic waste leaks into the environment. In 2016, this was 29,000 tonnes of plastic pollution. Once in the environment, plastics disintegrate into tiny particles called microplastics (small pieces of plastic less than five millimetres long). Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. We drink those tiny microplastic particles in our tap water, and eat them in our fish dinners. Some are even making their way into farmland. Plastics are everywhere, including inside us More than 93 per cent of Canadians have expressed concerns over single-use plastics used in food packaging and have supported government bans. There is a good reason for concern over the mounting levels of plastics in the environment, in our food and in us. Growing evidence indicates that plastics can cause harmful health effects in humans and animals. Microplastics and smaller nanoplastics (less than one micron in length) have been found in humans, including infants and breast milk. They can cause metabolic disorders, interfere with our immune and reproductive systems and cause behavioural problems. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. These health problems may be caused by chemicals added to plastics, including single-use plastics, of which 4,200 chemicals have been identified as posing a hazard to human and ecosystem health. It is for these reasons that the Canadian government introduced a ban on single-use plastics in 2022 as part of a plan to reach zero plastic waste in Canada by 2030. The decision was based extensive public and industry consultation, as well as decades of data on plastic pollution gathered from the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. This data shows the most common plastic litter items found in the environment across Canada, known as the 'dirty dozen' list. Six of these items were included in the federal ban. The politics of plastic Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, debates around plastic pollution are becoming increasingly politicized. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In February in the United States, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to 'stop purchasing paper straws and ensure they are no longer provided within federal buildings.' Trump told reporters at the White House: 'I don't think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as they're munching their way through the ocean.' Almost 2,000 peer-reviewed studies have reported, however, that more than 4,000 species have ingested or been entangled by plastic litter. In Canada, plastic has also become a political flashpoint. During the recent federal election, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he would scrap the federal government's ban on single-use plastics and bring back plastic straws and grocery bags. He argued the government's ban was about 'symbolism' rather than 'science,' saying, 'the Liberals' plastics ban is not about the environment, it's about cost and control.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. His promise would have harmed Canadians by dismissing the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that plastics in our bodies are linked to health impacts. Legislation to ban single-use plastics can be highly effective, ranging from 33 to 96 per cent reductions in plastic waste and pollution in the environment, depending on the policy and jurisdiction. Canada's single-use plastics ban is a great example of evidence-based policymaking. The latest data from the conservation group Ocean Wise shows there was a 32 per cent drop in plastic straws found on Canadian shorelines in 2024 compared to the previous year. Science-based policies are needed It is indisputable that growing plastic production is directly related to plastic pollution in the environment and in human beings. Increasing plastic pollution is a global threat to human and ecosystem health, regardless of borders and political affiliation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As negotiators gear up for another round of talks to finalize a Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution, the need for policies that are supported by scientific evidence is more urgent than ever. Future generations deserve a healthy and sustainable planet. The path towards a healthy and sustainable planet requires supporting action based on scientific evidence, not misinforming people with catchy phrases and political rhetoric. Tony Robert Walker is a professor in the School for Resource and Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. Miriam Diamond is a professor of environmental science at the University of Toronto. This commentary is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store