Filomena Tassi, Helena Jaczek swap roles in minor cabinet shuffle
Posted August 31, 2022 9:31 am.
Last Updated August 31, 2022 10:43 am.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a minor shuffle to his cabinet on Wednesday morning.
Two cabinet ministers from Ontario, Filomena Tassi and Helena Jaczek, officially swapped roles in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
Tassi moves from the Procurement Department to become the minister responsible for Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, while Helena Jaczek moved to the procurement portfolio.
Tassi requested a lighter role in cabinet due to family health matters and explained her request in released statement.
Statement from Minister @FilomenaTassi on why she requested a new portfolio in this cabinet shuffle #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/4A2lBDBnRW
— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) August 31, 2022
“Early last year, my husband suffered two strokes,” the statement reads. “I met with the PM last month to discuss balancing the needs of my family with the travel demands on me.”
“I will continue to help create more opportunities of Canadians and their businesses while also being able to remain closer to home.”
The shuffle takes place just a week before a cabinet retreat ahead of the return of parliament next month.
Tassi has represented the riding of Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas since 2015 and was first appointed to Trudeau’s cabinet in 2018 as the minister for seniors. She then became the minister of labour in 2019 and was promoted to the procurement file after the 2021 election.
Jaczek, for whom the shuffle is a major promotion, was first elected in the Greater Toronto Area riding of Markham-Stouffville in 2019, defeating former Liberal cabinet minister Jane Philpott. She was appointed to cabinet in 2021.
There are currently 38 ministers in the cabinet, not including Trudeau himself.
With files from Cormac Mac Sweeney
