Trudeau government made dozens of appointments after announcing he’d resign

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has been under scrutiny for stacking agencies and Crown corporations with future appointments and early appointment renewals, many of which are scheduled to take effect after the next election. A recent analysis by CBC News revealed that there have been 88 future appointments made since January 6, with some set to go into effect as late as November.

These orders in council appointments, which are drafted by the cabinet and do not require parliamentary approval, include a mix of part-time positions with modest per diems and senior executives or advisers earning over $200,000 a year. The majority of these appointments are set to last for several years, with some lasting as long as seven years. Additionally, most of these individuals have been appointed “on good behaviour,” meaning that a future government would need to prove misconduct in order to remove them before the end of their term.

While some of the beneficiaries of these future appointments have connections to the Liberal Party, many do not. The number of appointments made during this period far exceeds previous years, with 231 appointments made between January 6 and March 11, compared to just 123 during the same period in 2024. Furthermore, all vacant Senate seats have been filled, with the next vacancy not expected until May 14 when Conservative Senator Don Plett is set to retire.

The pace of appointments has accelerated since Trudeau announced his resignation, leading to questions about the timing and motives behind these decisions. Opposition parties have raised concerns about the government’s actions, with Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer criticizing the appointments as favoritism towards Liberal insiders. However, Trudeau’s office has yet to respond to these allegations.

It is important to note that similar controversies have arisen in the past, such as when former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper made 49 future appointments in his final days in office. These actions were criticized as an abuse of process, leading to calls for some appointees to decline their roles.

Overall, the recent surge in future appointments by Trudeau’s government has raised eyebrows and sparked debate about the transparency and fairness of the appointment process. As the political landscape continues to shift, it remains to be seen how these decisions will impact the future of key agencies and Crown corporations in Canada.