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Former Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson was one of 24 rookie MPs named to a “small, focused” cabinet by Prime Minister Mark Carney at a swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall on Tuesday.
Robertson will take on the role of housing and infrastructure minister, as well as the minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada.
He was tapped by Carney to run in the April 28 federal election and won the riding of Vancouver Fraserview-South Burnaby for the Liberals. During the campaign, he identified housing as one of his top issues.
Carney unveiled a team of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state, including 24 who are first-time ministers, in a bid to make a clean break from the tenure of former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Jill McKnight, a political newcomer who won the riding of Delta, was appointed Veteran Affairs minister and associate minister of national defence.
Three B.C. MPs were given secretary of state roles.
Randeep Sarai, who represents Surrey Centre, was appointed Secretary of State for International Development.
Stephen Fuhr, who won in the riding of Kelowna, was named secretary in charge of defence procurement and Stephanie McLean, of Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke, is secretary of state for seniors.
Robertson was elected mayor of Vancouver in 2008 on a pledge to end homelessness and served as mayor until 2018. Despite efforts, there were 2,181 homeless in March 2018, the highest since 2005.
In an interview with Postmedia in 2018, Robertson said he had expected the provincial and federal government to step up to help end homelessness, and expressed regret for not being “more abrasive and more vocal” in calling them out for their lack of investments in homelessness and housing.
Before serving as mayor, Robertson was a B.C. MLA for the NDP starting 2005 before resigning his seat to run in municipal politics.
Before entering federal politics, Robertson was global ambassador for the Global Covenant of Mayors.
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