January 12, 2021 | Category: Government Updates

Ottawa, ON – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a cabinet shuffle today, appointing Omar Alghabra (MP for Mississauga Centre) as Minister of Transport.

Hon. Omar Alghabra was first elected in 2006, again in 2015 and most recently in 2019. Since his initial election, he has served as Parliament Secretary to several Ministers including: the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs), the Minister of International Trade Diversification, the Prime Minister (Public Service Renewal), the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was also sworn in as a member of the Privy Council in February 2020. One of Minister Alghabra’s top priorities will be continuing discussions with the airline industry that has suffered significantly due to the pandemic.

WESTAC congratulates Minister Alghabra and looks forward to continuing our work with the Government of Canada.

Hon. Marc Garneau will shift to Foreign Affairs after five years in Transport.

 

– 30 –

 

More information: https://pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet
View the Minister's mandate letter here.

About Hon. Omar Alghabra

The Honourable Omar Alghabra was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga Centre in 2015, and also served as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Erindale from 2006 to 2008. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs) and to the Minister of International Trade Diversification, before becoming Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Public Service Renewal) and to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in 2019.

A longtime community activist, Minister Alghabra is passionate about his involvement with local organizations like Mississauga Summit and Youth Troopers for Global Awareness. He was a member of the community editorial board of the Toronto Star, where he authored columns on a wide range of provincial and federal issues. His work was also published in the Huffington Post. Among his many activities, Minister Alghabra has worked tirelessly to support initiatives that empower new Canadians through social and economic integration.

He has worked in various roles with General Electric Canada, Enbala Power, and the Ontario Energy Board.

A mechanical engineer by trade, Minister Alghabra holds a Master of Business Administration and was a Distinguished Visiting Fellow with the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University.

 

About WESTAC

The Western Transportation Advisory Council (WESTAC) is a council of organizations in the transportation sector represented by senior decision-makers. WESTAC’s members span all aspects of freight transportation in Canada. They include carriers and logistics providers, ports and terminals, shippers, labour unions, and the three levels of government. Members represent a significant share of the western Canadian economy. We focus on critical issues that affect Western Canada’s freight transportation network to ensure that it is safe, efficient, reliable and competitive.