Bains exits as Canadian innovation minister

Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry says he does not intend to run in the next federal election for family reasons.

A cabinet reshuffle was called by Trudeau this morning, who named a new foreign minister and shuffled other top players in his cabinet. Francois-Philippe Champagne will leave the foreign ministry to take over for Bains. In a video posted on Twitter Jan. 12, Bains said “As many of you know, family is the most important thing in my life. They have sacrificed so much over the last 17 years. This last year has been hard on families, my daughters who are in Grade 5 and Grade 8 have needed me more in the last year and I’ve need them, too. It’s time for me to put my family first.”

Minister of Transportation Marc Garneau has slid over to the foreign affairs minister’s chair.

“In his new role, Minister Champagne will rely on his extensive business experience in the fields of energy, engineering, and innovation to assist our economic recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic, create new jobs for Canadians, and grow our middle class,” according to a press release. “He will also use his experience to help the government work with the manufacturing, natural resource, and energy sectors as they transition to meet a net-zero future. As the representative of a rural riding, he also deeply understands the needs and priorities of Canadians living in rural communities, including the importance of improving high-speed Internet access that will empower communities across the country and strengthen Canada’s competitiveness.”

Bains had been in the job as a senior minister in Ontario since November 2015. Bains was first elected in 2004, lost his seat in 2011, and returned to parliament after four years when Trudeau took power.

During this time, Bains launched a new national space strategy and created the Strategic Innovation Fund to attract and support business investments across all sectors of the economy.

Related:

Ottawa announces $1.2 billion Strategic Innovation Fund

More recently, he played a key role in Canada’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic by leading Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID-19, and overseeing the creation of the COVID-19 immunity, vaccine, and therapeutics task forces. Bains will continue to serve as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Malton.

Would you recommend this article?

Share

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think of this article!
We'd love to hear your opinion about this or any other story you read in our publication.


Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

Featured Download

Pragya Sehgal
Pragya Sehgal
Born and raised in the capital city of India - Delhi - bounded by the river Yamuna on the west, Pragya has climbed the Himalayas, and survived medical professional stream in high school without becoming a patient or a doctor. Pragya now makes her home in Canada with her husband - a digital/online marketing fanatic who also loves to prepare delicious meals for her. When she isn’t working or writing around tech, she’s probably watching art films on Netflix, or wondering whether she should cut her hair short or not. Can be contacted at [email protected] or 647.695.3494.

Featured Articles

Cybersecurity in 2024: Priorities and challenges for Canadian organizations 

By Derek Manky As predictions for 2024 point to the continued expansion...

Survey shows generative AI is a top priority for Canadian corporate leaders.

Leaders are devoting significant budget to generative AI for 2024 Canadian corporate...

Related Tech News

Tech Jobs

Our experienced team of journalists and bloggers bring you engaging in-depth interviews, videos and content targeted to IT professionals and line-of-business executives.

Tech Companies Hiring Right Now