Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly held a private meeting with former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney over the weekend to assess the possibility of Carney joining cabinet. Trudeau on Friday is expected to hold a 30-minute virtual session regarding cabinet appointments before he goes on summer holiday. With Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan announcing his resignation Thursday, the prime minister is expected to name his replacement. Carney is not a sitting MP, but he would be allowed to join cabinet as a portfolio manager as long as he promptly ran for a byelection. With the next federal election fast approaching October 2025 or sooner, it could be possible for him to wait until then to be elected while holding a cabinet position. Trudeau on Sunday met with Carney who chairs Brookfield Asset Management and Bloomberg Inc., to urge him to consider joining the Liberal administration, four government sources told the Globe and Mail. .Three of the four sources, who reportedly have insider knowledge, said no specific cabinet portfolio is on the table — however, there have been recent reports that indicate the department up for grabs could be that of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. Two of the sources insisted Freeland’s job is safe. Two of the sources said Carney was non-committal with Trudeau’s recruitment campaign. .On Thursday Trudeau’s chief of staff Katie Telford and other Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) officials said Freeland is ineffective in representing the Liberals’ finance policies and not holding her own in the Liberal caucus, the Globe reported last week. Yet, one of the publication’s high-ranking sources denied there was trouble brewing over the finance portfolio, and said there are no foreseeable plans to remove her. If Freeland is knocked from her role, she would re-enter her role as foreign affairs minister. Trudeau himself said at a press conference last week he has been working on recruiting Carney for years. Simultaneously he said he has “full confidence in her abilities.”“If (Trudeau’s) serious about running for the leadership of the Liberals, this would actually be a step in the right direction,” said Nik Nanos, chief data scientist at Nanos Research, in a recent interview, detailing how both the move would benefit both Trudeau and Carney.“I could understand how this would be very appealing for Justin Trudeau.”Freeland on Tuesday said she had a long conversation with Trudeau days prior, but did not comment on the substance of the conversation. “To serve as minster of cabinet, you do need the support and confidence of the prime minister,” said Freeland at a press conference in Markham, ON. “That is especially true for the deputy prime minister and finance minister.”“I do have the confidence that I need to do my job effectively.” .Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner argues the Globe leak was “purposeful” and in doing so, Trudeau quashed any “political ambitions” Carney may harbour. “It put this information out into the public to force Carney's hand,” wrote Rempel Garner on social media Wednesday evening. “Carney has been indelicately circling Trudeau's limping carcass of a political career for weeks. To not be further gelded in front of his caucus Trudeau had to find a way to make Carney stop. “This leak is that way, because: 1) If Carney doesn't run in the byelection he looks like he won't carry water for a hurting team, hardly a way to start a leadership bid, 2) If he runs and loses, he's done, or 3) If he does run and wins, he has to take on water for Trudeau in his backbench.”“Can you imagine the illustrious Mark Carney, sitting in the back row with the backbench plebs? I can't.”“The Liberals deserve each other, and to lose.”
