After a whirlwind election, CPJ members are eager to know how this new government will act to meet today’s pressing challenges. While much remains to be seen, details about Prime Minister Carney’s priorities and approaches have begun to take shape through his Cabinet appointments on May 13, the Mandate Letter released May 21, and the Speech from the Throne delivered May 27 by King Charles III. CPJ staff have been keeping an eye on these new developments and discussing the next steps we will take along with our network and coalition partners. In the blog post below, we have gathered some reflections, questions, and insights so that you can join us in acting for public justice throughout this government’s term – and beyond.
What We Noted
Cabinet Appointments
Prime Minister Carney’s new Cabinet is structured a little differently from previous governments. We now have a smaller number of Cabinet Ministers with additional Secretaries of State responsible for specific portfolios. Secretaries of State are not part of the Cabinet, but may attend Cabinet meetings to provide expertise in their respective portfolios. It’s a little unclear just how these Secretaries of State will function and what kind of decision-making power and accountability they will have, so this is something CPJ staff will be keeping an eye on.
Cabinet Ministers of note for CPJ’s portfolios:
| Hon. Julie Dabrusin | Minister of Environmental and Climate Change | Toronto — Danforth |  |
| Hon. Patty Hajdu | Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario | Thunder Bay — Superior North |  |
| Hon. Tim Hodgson | Minister of Energy and Natural Resources | Markham — Thornhill |  |
| Hon. Lena Metlege Diab | Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship | Halifax West |  |
| Hon. Marjorie Michel | Minister of Health | Papineau |  |
| Hon. Gregor Robertson | Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada | Vancouver Fraserview — South Burnaby |  |
| Hon. Rechie Valdez | Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) | Mississauga — Streetsville |  |
| Hon. Anna Gainey | Secretary of State, Children and Youth | Notre-Dame-de-Grace — Westmount |  |
| Hon. John Zerucelli | Secretary of State, Labour | Etobicoke North |  |
| Hon. Stephanie McLean | Secretary of State, Seniors | Esquimalt — Saanich — Sooke |  |
| Hon. Nathalie Provost | Secretary of State, Nature | Chateauguay — Les Jardins-de-Napierville |  |
Notably, while the post-election Cabinet reinstated a Minister of Women and Gender Equality, we still do not have a Minister specifically responsible for Disability and Inclusion. The former Cabinet position of Children, Families, and Social Development has been rebranded Jobs and Families, with a Secretary of State for Children and Youth.
Mandate Letter
The Mandate Letter issued to Cabinet also departs from previous norms, with a single letter issued to all Ministers, rather than individual letters tailored to each portfolio. His letter sets out seven priorities on which the government will focus, while suggesting that Cabinet Ministers will have more autonomy than usual in deciding how to pursue them.
These priorities are are mostly focused on the economy, specifically mentioning “bringing down costs for Canadians” and “making housing more affordable.” The only mention of immigration is in reference to “returning our immigration rates to sustainable levels” and “attracting the best talent in the world to help build our economy.” There is no explicit mention of climate or the environment in the seven priorities, but earlier in the letter Carney writes about Canada becoming “an energy superpower in both clean and conventional energies.” He then later writes, “we will fight climate change,” and commits to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
There are several references to affordability throughout the letter, as well as the assertion that we must “remain true to Canadian values” including caring for the most vulnerable among us and striving for a better future for all. Carney also writes of building “a strong economy that works for everyone.”
Speech from the Throne
In the Speech from the Throne, read by King Charles III, we yet again heard of the primary focus on the economy in the context of global instability, Canadian sovereignty, and changing trade relationships (both external and internal). Notably, King Charles read that “the Government is guided by its conviction that the economy is only truly strong when it serves everyone.” The examples that followed, however, were middle-class tax cuts and cutting GST for first-time homebuyers, though there was also a stated commitment to protect programs like childcare, pharmacare, and dental care.
Some additional details were provided regarding the new Build Canada Homes organization, with a commitment to accelerate the development of new affordable housing, providing financing to affordable home builders, making the housing market “work better,” all with a view to “drive supply up to bring housing costs down.”
Several priorities and phrases from the Mandate Letter were repeated in the Speech from the Throne, including reference to Canada becoming “an energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy” while also committing to fight climate change. Additional details about Canada’s commitment to the COP15 agreement to protect 30 per cent of lands and 30 per cent of waters by 2030 included the creation of new national parks, national urban parks, marine protected areas, and other conservation initiatives.
While the Speech from the Throne notes that Canada’s immigration system “has long been a source of pride for Canadians and of dynamism for the country,” the plans that follow seem focused primarily on limiting, rather than strengthening, immigration systems. Specifically, there is a commitment to cap the total number of temporary foreign workers and international students. In addition, the Speech from the Throne included a focus on enhancing security at Canada’s borders, increasing spending on military defense and the RCMP, as well as “toughening the Criminal Code” regarding bail applications.
Takeaways and Next Steps
CPJ remains committed to work with elected officials, Senators, civil servants, institutions, and members of the public to build a more just and sustainable society – each of us has a role to play!
There are several goals and initiatives set out by Prime Minister Carney that we would be glad to support, like an economy that works for everyone, increasing land and water protections, increasing housing affordability, and advancing clean energy across the country. At the same time, CPJ will maintain our conviction and advocacy that the ways in which we pursue these goals must be grounded in our treaty and human rights obligations, the inherent dignity of all people, and the love of all creation.
Affordability, for example, must focus on closing inequitable gaps and outcomes for people disproportionately impacted by poverty, housing insecurity, food insecurity, and all kinds of downstream impacts of not having access to an adequate standard of living. Yes, more supply of affordable housing is desperately needed; yes we need to build more affordable housing. We also need to address and mitigate market forces like financialization, renovictions, and unchecked increases in rents. We need to make financing available for non-profit, co-op, supportive housing providers, particularly Indigenous-led groups and other community-led groups. We also need to address the income side of housing affordability, food security, and health, ensuring that those in deep poverty have the means to access an adequate standard of living. And certainly not least of all, we need to use regulatory controls to make sure institutions, corporations, and individuals are all contributing to, and benefitting from, a rights-based social safety net that ensures people can access the health and social services they need, when they need them, regardless of their income.
The mandate letters and throne speech signal a concerning shift in the government’s approach to refugee and migrant rights. Notably, the word refugee does not appear even once in any of these key documents. Instead, the focus has shifted toward temporary migration pathways—such as those for migrant workers and international students—rather than on permanent migration, including welcoming refugees and immigrants who seek to build long-term lives in Canada. This shift is troubling. Temporary migrants are often treated as economic tools and placed in precarious situations that can lead to abuse and exploitation.
Even more concerning is Bill C-2, introduced in June of 2025—the first proposed legislation from this government addressing refugee and migrant issues. While titled the Strong Borders Act and including important measures to combat the drug crisis, the bill also introduces significant rollbacks to refugee and migrant rights, some of which violate international law.
Advocates for refugee and migrant rights must closely examine these developments and hold this government accountable to its international and domestic obligations—including the fundamental right to seek asylum.
We will continue to work with CPJ members and partners across the country to advocate for evidence-based, rights-based policy solutions that are grounded in people’s lived realities and that tackle underlying systems of oppression and exploitation. We will bring solution-focused educational resources and policy recommendations to improve Canada’s human rights implementation and accountability. We will convene members and partners to engage in non-partisan advocacy campaigns to show just how much public support is out there for ambitious, transformative, systems change.
We look forward to working with you and newly elected representatives towards a better future for all!
