Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed a new federal cabinet on May 13, following the Liberals’ election win. It’s a team that will help shape how quickly Canada moves forward on energy infrastructure, trade diversification and economic recovery.
This article is an overview of key cabinet positions and a look at how each one could shape Canada’s path forward. Canada Powered by Women (CPW) is a non-partisan organization, but we are not neutral on outcomes that engaged women tell us are important to them, so this is a look at the new cabinet through that lens.
With 85 per cent of engaged women telling us they want a successful, affordable Canadian economy (and the same number wanting a strong energy sector), there is a lot riding on these appointments.
We’re using a prosperity lens to assess each of these appointments, which means watching not just for energy outcomes but also for how these cabinet roles align with what engaged women say they want most: long-term economic planning, national competitiveness and practical, balanced energy policy.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources: Tim Hodgson
- Riding: Markham–Thornhill (Ontario)
- Former CEO of Goldman Sachs Canada
- Previously Chair of Hydro One, Ontario’s largest electricity utility
- Sat on the board of MEG Energy, a Calgary-based oil sands producer and founding member of the Pathways Alliance
Hodgson is new to politics but his appointment was welcomed by financial markets, with Reuters reporting a rebound in the Canadian dollar following the announcement. Upstream Online says Hodgson’s background in both the financial and energy sectors is seen as a promising signal for Canada’s energy competitiveness.
What we’re watching for now:
Our research shows 79 per cent of engaged women want a national energy corridor to connect from coast to coast, including pipelines for oil and natural gas transportation. We’ll be watching to see whether Hodgson supports national energy corridors that would allow Canadian energy to reach both domestic and international markets. No specific commitments have been outlined yet.
Beyond his core energy portfolio, Hodgson also sits on several influential cabinet committees including Priorities, Planning and Strategy, the National Security Council, and the Treasury Board.
Most notably, he has been appointed Chair of the Build Canada committee. This cabinet committee has a mandate that aligns closely with engaged women’s priorities: infrastructure development, climate resilience, economic prosperity, and trade-enabling projects.
That positioning gives Hodgson a lot of reach, allowing him not only to shape energy policy, but also to influence how and where the country invests and attracts investment.
For engaged women asking for national planning, energy independence, regulatory simplification and a more affordable Canada, this dual-role leadership could be the difference between good ideas and projects that actually move.
One major test will be how the Minister balances this mandate with existing legislation — especially Bill C-69, which overhauled how major infrastructure and energy projects are reviewed in Canada. Critics say the law has added delays and uncertainty, making it harder to build.
Hodgson’s leadership of the Build Canada committee may prove especially important as it’s more than a coordinating table — it’s the cabinet body tasked with accelerating infrastructure that supports the climate, trade and economic resilience agenda.
If Hodgson uses this committee to champion national energy corridors (with pipelines) or unlock stalled infrastructure, it could mark a real shift toward execution.
One recent positive signal is that Prime Minister Carney said he was prepared to “change things at the federal level that need to be changed in order for projects to move forward.”
Not a commitment, and no specific legislation was referenced, but the comment suggests a potential willingness to revisit existing federal policies that have slowed or blocked major infrastructure projects.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change: Julie Dabrusin
- Riding: Toronto-Danforth (Ontario)
- Supports industrial carbon pricing
- Helped update the Canadian Environmental Protection Act which included a ban on single-use plastics (an issue we explored here)
- An opponent of oil sands expansion
- Former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources (Jonathan Wilkinson) and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Steven Guilbeault).
Her appointment has drawn concern in Alberta where some said it signaled renewed federal opposition to the oil and gas industry.
What we’re watching for:
National energy corridors are important, so we’re watching to see if Dabrusin supports corridors that include a diverse mix of energy sources, not just renewables but also oil and gas.
That said, her public record (including her bio on the Liberal party website) says she is against oil and gas development.
Our research shows 73 percent of Canadian engaged women support the expansion of oil and gas production for export, and a diverse energy mix is a prerequisite for Canadian prosperity. Overall acceptance of oil and gas has also grown significantly—agreement that it contributes to a strong economy rose from 51 to 71 per cent in the past year, with the largest increases seen in Ontario and Quebec.
Minister of Finance and National Revenue: François-Philippe Champagne
- Riding: Saint-Maurice-Champlain (Quebec)
- A lawyer and former global trade executive at energy firm AMEC Foster Wheeler
- Previous innovation minister so he supports tech and innovation (including backing small modular nuclear reactors)
- Called for more energy exports to reduce foreign dependence, saying “We have these natural resources. We need to be able to export to markets.”
What we’re paying attention to:
Whether Champagne follows through by tabling a federal budget that includes funding for energy corridors and trade-enabling infrastructure, and whether the budget includes any changes to the industrial carbon tax, which affects everything from trade competitiveness to project viability.
A federal budget is not expected until the fall so we’ll wait and see.
President of the King’s Privy Council and Minister for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy: Dominic LeBlanc
- Riding: Beauséjour (New Brunswick)
- Longtime MP with multiple senior cabinet roles, including infrastructure and intergovernmental affairs.
- Co-chaired 2023 meetings on electricity investment and major project coordination with provinces
- Backed $1 billion in 2024 for New Brunswick electricity upgrades, including Indigenous-led wind and coal-to-biomass conversion.
- Appointed as Canada’s Minister of Finance following Chrystia Freeland’s resignation on December 16, 2024, and was replaced by François-Philippe Champagne after the election.
In addition to his trade and intergovernmental responsibilities, LeBlanc will now oversee cabinet processes in his role as President of the King’s Privy Council (the body that helps manage and coordinate cabinet decisions).
What we’re watching for:
Whether LeBlanc turns his past support for provincial coordination and electricity system upgrades into broader policy direction that includes a diverse energy mix.
For engaged women, that means clear energy policy that balances environmental goals with long-term prosperity and energy independence, including support for responsible oil and gas development.
Implications for prosperity, energy and trade
Some newly appointed cabinet ministers have begun to speak more openly about the need for a diverse energy mix that includes oil and gas alongside renewables. Whether that shift in language leads to investment-ready action remains to be seen.
The cabinet includes an equal number of women and men, which helps ensure women’s perspectives are present at the national decision-making table.
There is also increased attention on regulatory reform, infrastructure development and Canada’s position in global energy markets. With multiple ministers referencing corridor development and interprovincial collaboration, there may be momentum behind long-standing barriers.
In the months ahead, we will continue to monitor how ministers act on their public commitments, engage directly with decision-makers, and share what women across the country are prioritizing.
What Canadian women are asking for is not just vision, but execution: practical, long-term planning that supports prosperity, affordability and energy security.