Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a major overhaul to his cabinet, calling the shake-up a "positive step" ahead of the country's next election.
Trudeau, whose Liberal Party has been in power since November 2015, dropped seven ministers, and gave more than a dozen ministers new portfolios.
"This is a positive step in a moment of consequential impact in the world and in the country," Trudeau said of the cabinet shuffle during a news conference in the capital, Ottawa.
"We know that times are challenging, but this is the team that is going to be able to continue the hard work, rolling up their sleeves and delivering for Canadians from coast to coast to coast as we build a brighter and ambitious future for all Canadians," he told reporters.
Trudeau brought seven new people into cabinet, but kept heavy hitters such as Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly in their portfolios.
The Prime Minister changed the job descriptions of about three-quarters of the positions compared with his previous cabinet, with former immigration minister Sean Fraser taking over a newly formed Housing, Infrastructure and Communities ministry.
Trudeau's new government held its first meeting a few hours after the swearing-in ceremony.
Source: Qatar News Agency