Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has yet to issue mandate letters for his cabinet ministers, despite announcing a front bench overhaul two months ago. Defense Minister Bill Blair also confirmed that he has not received a new mandate letter and is currently acting on the commitments assigned to his predecessor in December 2021, which were made three months after the previous year’s election. This delay in providing mandate letters has led to uncertainty regarding how ministers are being instructed to prioritize their assignments, especially as the government has recently assigned new tasks to the military while asking for a $1 billion spending cut.
According to Acadia University political scientist Alex Marland, mandate letters are crucial in clarifying a government’s intentions outside of election periods. While the civil service can function without the letters being made public, ministers themselves have expressed their eagerness to receive their specific instructions, particularly since some of them now hold portfolios that never existed before. It remains unclear whether all 30 ministers with new or updated roles will eventually be assigned fresh mandate letters. The Prime Minister’s Office has been approached for comment on this matter.