Carney announces shuffle of deputy ministers

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a large shuffle of deputy ministers and senior public servants in a shake-up at the top of the public service that has long been expected around Ottawa.

In all, 12 individuals are receiving new assignments and eight departments will have new deputy ministers. Eight former deputy ministers are also departing the federal government.

Nick Leswick, the executive director for policy at the Bank of Canada, is now the deputy minister of finance and John McArthur, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., is joining the Privy Council Office as deputy secretary to the cabinet for economic policy.

Marie-Josée Hogue, a puisne judge of the Court of Appeal of Quebec who led the federal inquiry into foreign interference last year, is becoming deputy minister of justice and the deputy attorney general.

Chris Fox, who had been deputy clerk of the privy council, is becoming deputy minister of defence.

Carney chose a new clerk of the Privy Council — Michael Sabia — this past summer and this shuffle is another major opportunity for the prime minister to put his own stamp on the machinery of government.

The clerk of the Privy Council is the most senior member of the public service and deputy ministers are the senior public servants in government departments.

In addition to the moves announced on Friday, the Prime Minister's Office said "additional changes to the senior ranks of the public service will be announced early in the New Year."