First Hindu woman MP among 4 PIOs in Justin Trudeau’s cabinet

NEW DELHI: Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s 37-member new cabinet, formed on Wednesday, includes four Indian-Canadians. While Trudeau has retained his earlier three Sikh ministers, he has also inducted first-time MP

Anita Anand

, making her the first Hindu woman lawmaker to be made a minister in Canada.


Harjit Singh Sajjan (49), the most prominent Sikh face of the Trudeau government and against whom Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh had railed during his last stint, continues to be defence minister.

Navdeep Singh Bains (42), who represents the Ontario riding (electoral district) of Mississauga-Malton, has been given charge of innovation and science and industry. Waterloo MP Bardish Chagger (39) has been given the inclusion and diversity and youth ministry.

In his previous government, Trudeau had four Sikh ministers, but Amarjit Sohi lost the election this time.

Anita Anand, who is in her early 50s, has been made minister of public services and procurement. Born to Indianorigin parents in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Anand has served as a law professor at the University of Toronto and specialises in corporate governance and shareholder rights. Anand takes on the role of minister of public services and procurement at a time when the government is finalising a multi-billion-dollar purchase of new fighter jets.

Trudeau has inducted nearly all his re-elected ministers from the last government to signal continuity. Half of the ministers in Trudeau’s government are women.