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Prime Minister Stephen Harper rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, October 3, 2012.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is shaking up some of the main economic portfolios in the federal government with a shuffle of senior officials at key departments, including International Trade, Public Works and Treasury Board.

In all, the Monday afternoon announcement from the PMO shuffles six current deputy ministers, while two senior public servants take on new jobs as heads of departments. Industry Canada's Simon Kennedy is now deputy minister of International Trade and William Pentney moves from deputy secretary to Cabinet in the Privy Council Office to deputy minister of Justice.

Deputy ministers are the senior public servants in departments. They provide policy advice and background briefings to cabinet ministers and are responsible for staffing decisions inside their departments. They also work together on government-wide policy files in a committee system that is similar to the cabinet committee structure.

The moves announced Monday include:

  • François Guimont, currently DM of Public Works, who becomes DM of Public Safety
  • Michelle d’Auray, currently Secretary of the Treasury Board, becomes DM of Public Works
  • Yaprak Baltacioğlu, currently DM of Transport Canada, becomes Secretary of the Treasury Board
  • Louis Lévesque, currently DM for International Trade, becomes DM of Transport
  • Guy Mc Kenzie, currently President of the Canada School of Public Service, becomes President of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
  • Linda Lizotte-MacPherson, currently Commissioner of Revenue, becomes President of the Canada School of Public Service
  • Jean Boivin, currently Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Finance
  • Marta Morgan, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Industry Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Industry.

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