Over the past few days, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has formed his cabinet. The Liberal Party was elected as the new government at the last federal election on April 28. Unlike former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Carney appears less inclined toward a paternalistic view.
Mandy Gull-Masty, the newly appointed minister of Indigenous Services Canada is the first Indigenous person held the post. Carney choose to appointed for the first time a women.
Today it would be completely unacceptable to appoint a man to defend the rights of women and girls in Canada. It’s incredible to think that for the past few decades, the indigenous peoples in Canada weren’t represented by one of their own in Parliament. It’s about time the Canadian government realized the importance to nominated an Indigenous person in the position of Minister of Indigenous Services and Affairs.
Gull-Masty was elected in the riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou and was appointed to the portfolio on Tuesday as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new cabinet.
Gull-Masty has extensive experience in Indigenous affairs. She was first elected as Deputy Chief of Waswanipi in 2014. In 2017, she was elected Deputy Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees. In 2021, she was elected Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees. She is the first woman to be elected Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees of Quebec. She is the mother of four children.
With a number of unfilled commitments left behind from the previous Liberal government under Justin Trudeau, including clean water legislation and long-term reform in child welfare, Gull-Masty will certainly have her work cut out for her.
The new Carney cabinet has two Indigenous MPs and another Indigenous MP has been appointed as a secretary of state.
Rebecca Chartrand, who identifies as Anishinaabe, Inninew, was appointed minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and minister Responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic and Climate file.
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Source: APT News, Gull-Masty says time is now for Indigenous person to head up ISC by Fraser Needham, May 15 2025
