Bains exits as Canadian innovation minister | IT Business

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.