Ottawa:
The Canadian politician Anita Anand has sworn in as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs in a large redevelopment of the cabinet by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Indian-Origin Anand, who previously fulfilled in roles, including the Minister of Defense of Canada, has replaced Melanie Joly, which had been moved to the role of Minister of Industry. A senior member of the Liberal Party of Canada, the 58-year-old politician, put the oath of the office with her hand on the Hindu Scripture Bhagavad Gita, a tradition she had also followed in earlier cabinet agreements.
The reorganization comes when Prime Minister Carney rebuilds his newly elected liberal cabinet, which includes 28 ministers. He also introduced secretaries of the state, with the aim of showing a new start from the Justin Trudeau era. The cabinet brings experience in balance and diversity, in which women form half of the government. Carney said that the cabinet was chosen to “deliver the change that Canadians want and need”, amidst Canada-US relations.
After she had sworn in her new role, Anand went to X and wrote: “I am honored to become Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister. I am looking forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build a safer, more honest world and deliver it to Canadians.”
I am honored to be called Canadian Foreign Minister. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mark Carney and our team to build and deliver a safer, fairer world for Canadians. pic.twitter.com/nppqyah9k3
– Anita Anand (@anitaanandmp) May 13, 2025
Mrs. Anand represents the Oakville East who runs in the Lower House after winning the 2025 federal elections. She previously represented the Oakville riding in the Lower House from 2019 to 2025 and held several important portfolios, including Minister of Public Services and Purchasing, Minister of National Defense and President of the Terasury.
About Anita Anand
Mrs Anand was born on May 20, 1967 in Kentville, Nova Scotia, to Indian immigrant doctor parents, Saroj D Ram and SV Anand-Die moved from India to Canada in the early 1960s. Her mother comes from Punjab and her father comes from Tamil Nadu. She has two sisters, Gita and Sonia.
In 1985, when she was 18, Mrs. Anand moved to Ontario, where she ran an academic degree in the political sciences and later completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in case law at Oxford University. She followed that with a bachelor and a master's degree in law at Dalhousie University and the University of Toronto, respectively, and over the years, Mrs Anand built a strong career in law, education and public services.
Mrs Anand married John Knowlton, a Canadian lawyer and manager in 1995. They have four children and live in Oakville. She became the first Hindu who served in the federal cabinet of Canada in 2019 and over the years she earned praise for her disciplined and targeted approach, especially during her time as Minister of Defense of Canada.
