Two Indian heritage ministers in PM Carney's cabinet, Delhi-born Khera gets Health
Ottawa, Mar 15 (PTI): Indo-Canadian Anita Anand and Delhi-born Kamal Khera, one of the youngest women ever elected to the Canadian Parliament, are part of new Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet.
Liberal Party's Carney, a former central banker, was sworn in alongside members of the 30th Canadian Ministry on Friday at a ceremony presided over by Governor General Mary Simon here.
Anand, 58, is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry while Khera, 36, is Minister of Health, both among the few retaining their ministerial posts, albeit with different portfolios, from former prime minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet.
Delhi-born Khera's family shifted to Canada when she was still in school. She later earned her Bachelor of Science degree from York University, Toronto.
The Prime Minister of Canada's website mentions that Khera was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Brampton West in 2015. “Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever elected to Parliament. A registered nurse, community volunteer, and political activist, she is passionate about improving the lives of those around her,” it said.
“As a nurse, my top priority is to always be there to support my patients and that's the same mentality I'll bring every day to the role of Minister of Health. Extremely grateful for the confidence of PM @MarkJCarney. Now, it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work,” Delhi-born Khera said in a post on X.
Khera has previously served as Minister of Seniors, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health.
Before entering politics, she worked as a registered nurse in the oncology unit at St Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto. “During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, she went back to her roots as a registered nurse to volunteer at a hard-hit long-term care facility in her hometown of Brampton,” the website adds.
Anand, who was a front-runner in the race to be the next prime minister to replace Trudeau, had in January declared that she is backing out from the race and also that she would not be seeking re-election. However, she had reversed the decision on March 1 saying, “Canada is facing a crucial moment in our nation’s history.”
Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand moved to Ontario in 1985.
“I am honoured to be sworn in as the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development in @MarkJCarney's Government. We know that negativity won't pay the rent or the mortgage. Negativity won't bring down the price of groceries. Negativity won't win a trade war. We are united and strong and we will immediately get to work, to build the Canada and the Canadian economy of tomorrow,” she said in a post on X.
The Prime Minister of Canada's website mentions that Anand was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019 and previously served as President of the Treasury Board, as Minister of National Defence, and as Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
“Anand has worked as a scholar, lawyer, and researcher. She has been a legal academic, including as a Professor of Law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance,” it said and listed her other academic achievements too.
Carney's cabinet with 13 men and 11 women is smaller than Trudeau's 37-member team.
“Canada, meet your new cabinet. We’ve built a smaller, focused, and experienced team that is made to meet this moment,” Carney said in a post on X along with the photo of his cabinet after the swearing in ceremony.
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BJP declares 3 candidates for Maharashtra council bypolls
Mumbai, Mar 16 (PTI): The BJP on Sunday announced the names of three candidates, including a close aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a former MLA, for the March 27 by-elections to five seats in the state legislative council.
The by-elections have been necessitated due to the victory of the five sitting MLCs in the November 2024 assembly polls.
Three of the MLCs who entered the assembly were from the BJP, followed by one each of the Shiv Sena and the NCP. All three parties are constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in the state.
The BJP on Sunday announced the names of Sandip Diwakarrao Joshi, former mayor of Nagpur and a close aide of Fadnavis, Sanjay Kishanrao Kenekar, general secretary of the state BJP unit, and former MLA Dadarao Yadavrao Keche, for the council bypolls.
Keche won the 2009 and 2019 assembly elections from Arvi constituency in Wardha district of the Vidarbha region. He was denied ticket for the 2024 polls as the BJP then fielded Fadnavis' former personal secretary Sumit Wankhede from the Arvi seat.
The last day for filing nominations by candidates is March 17.
The byelections of the MLCs are from the MLA quota in the 288-member legislative assembly.
The BJP has 132 MLAs, Shiv Sena 57 and NCP 41, making them comfortably placed to win all the five seats, given their dominating presence in the lower house.
The last date of scrutiny of nominations is March 18, while candidates can withdraw from the contest on March 20. If needed, voting will take place on March 27 with the MLAs forming the electoral college.
