Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan shakes hands with a cadet during the Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Justin Trudeau has warned his 30 ministers that he will judge their professional and personal conduct to the highest standard, saying that following the rules will not be enough to remain in his cabinet.
The Prime Minister has released the mandate letters he delivered to the members of the cabinet after their swearing-in on Nov. 4, setting the tone for the next four years of his government. The mandate letters are normally kept secret at the federal level, but the Liberals have published them on the Internet as part of their promise to offer a more open and accountable government.
Mr. Trudeau told his new ministers he wants them to consult widely on all initiatives, treat the opposition and the media with respect, and "deliver real results and professional government to Canadians."
"You must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality, and both the performance of your official duties and the arrangement of your private affairs should bear the closest public scrutiny. This is an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law," Mr. Trudeau told his ministers.
The letters show the Liberal Party wants to go back to the electorate in 2019 and prove that it has delivered on this year's election promises. "To ensure that we have a strong focus on results, I will expect Cabinet committees and individual ministers to: track and report on the progress of our commitments; assess the effectiveness of our work; and align our resources with priorities, in order to get the results we want and Canadians deserve," Mr. Trudeau said.
Over all, the mandate letters mostly mirror the Liberal Party of Canada's platform, but there are nuances and additional details that suggest how the government wants to deliver on its election pledges.
The mandate letter to Government House Leader Dominic LeBlanc calls on him to establish a parliamentary committee that will have "special access to classified information to review government departments and agencies with national security responsibilities."
The Liberals promised earlier this year to create new parliamentary oversight of Canada's spy and police agencies as part of an overhaul of the country's anti-terrorism operations. However, the word "review" in the mandate letter suggests the committee would look at operations once they are completed.
The Liberal platform, on the other hand, called for an oversight committee that would "monitor and oversee the operations of every government department and agency with national security responsibilities," suggesting its work would occur as operations are under way.
Many ministers will be asked to launch consultative processes to enact Liberal promises. Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef is being asked to set up a special parliamentary committee "to consult on electoral reform, including preferential ballots, proportional representation, mandatory voting and online voting."
The ministers of Health, Jane Philpott, and Justice, Jody Wilson-Raybould, will be asked to work with the provinces on a number of issues, including physician-assisted dying and the legalization of marijuana. Ms. Wilson-Raybould will also take a look at the previous Conservative government's tough-on-crime agenda, to "ensure that we are increasing the safety of our communities, getting value for money, addressing gaps and ensuring that current provisions are aligned with the objectives of the criminal justice system."
Mr. Trudeau seems to be aware that his promise to resettle Syrian refugees in Canada is a long-term plan, as he called on Immigration Minister John McCallum to "lead government-wide efforts to resettle 25,000 refugees from Syria in the coming months." The government has committed to getting the refugees on Canadian soil by the end of the year, although their integration into Canadian society will take longer.
Chrystia Freeland, who is the Minister of International Trade, is being asked to "deepen" Canada's relationship with its traditional partners, but also to focus on "expanding trade with large fast-growing markets, including China and India."
In addition, the Prime Minister is asking Ms. Freeland to implement trade pacts with Israel, Chile and Ukraine.