Before being officially elected as the full-term Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney established his new plans of kicking off a new innings of India-Canada relations, which particularly soured under former PM Justin Trudeau. Standing tall on the promise tied to those “incredibly important” diplomatic connections, his cabinet’s latest move is being welcomed as another proof of Canada hoping to consolidate the bridge leading to Indian ties.

Four Indian-origin Canadian political leaders have made their way onto Mark Carney’s cabinet. All of them share their roots with Punjab. Striking a balance in the cabinet’s Indian inclusions, two women and two men have been welcomed onboard.

4 Indian-origin leaders in Mark Carney’s cabinet

Anita Anand, Member of Parliament from Oakville East, has especially registered an unparalleled milestone, becoming the first Hindu woman to be appointed as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, Maninder Sidhu has taken on role of Minister of International Trade. Ruby Sahota has been named Secretary of State for Combatting Crime. Lastly, Randeep Sarai bears the title of Secretary of State for International Development.

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Who is Anita Anand?

The praiseworthy 58-year-old woman named Canada’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs was born to Indian physician parents — Tamil mother, Saroj, and Punjabi father SV Anand — in Kentville, Nova Scotia. More on the personal front, she is married to John Knowlton, a Canadian lawyer. They share four children.

As the first woman of Hindu heritage to serve this role, she placed her hand on the Bhagavad Gita during the swearing-in ceremony. Moreover, Anand was also the first Hindu woman in Canada’s House of Commons in 2019.

Anand holds four degrees: BA Political Studies (Queen’s University), BA Jurisprudence (Oxford University), Bachelor of Laws (Dalhousie University), and Master of Laws (University of Toronto). At one point, she even stepped up as a law professor at the University of Toronto, with her areas of expertise in corporate governance and investor protection.

After her House of Commons appointment, she became the Minister of Public Services and Procurement from 2019 to 2021. Thereafter, she joined in as the Minister National Defence from 2021 to 2024.

As Canada’s foreign minister, it will Anita Anand’s duty to reset the currently flaky dynamics shared by India and Canada. Her prominent role will also be in focus as she manages ties with President Donald Trump’s USA. In January, the 58-year-old was all set to relinquish her political connections and return to academia. However, Mark Carney urged her to make her cabinet comeback after the Justin Trudeau government fell apart.

Who is Maninder Sidhu?

The 41-year-old Canadian businessman who was once a parliamentary secretary is now the country’s International Trade Minister. Having been elected to parliament in 2019, his LinkedIn page indicates that he “worked with businesses across Canada to provide strategic advice with a focus on trade, tariffs and growth opportunities.’

In an X post, Sidhu expressed that Carney now relied on him to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs across Canada.” Furthermore, a Facebook post shared before his appointment, noted, “Canada is a trading nation — and we must strengthen and expand the infrastructure that connects us to global markets.”

Beyond his post as an entrepreneur with his own international trade specialist business, Maninder Sidhu also co-founded ‘The Kindness Movement,’ an charity focussed on offering support to underprivileged school students in India and Canada, with his wife Joti Sidhu.

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In his personal life, Sidhu and his wife live are raising their children in Brampton. According to his Liberal candidacy page and Indiaspora, the Brampton East Liberal leader graduated from the University of Waterloo and built a successful customs brokerage business.

Who is Ruby Sahota?

Named the Secretary of State for Combatting Crime, the Brampton North–Caledon MP was born in Toronto to parents who immigrated from Punjab. As a law graduate from the University of Saskatchewan, Ruby Sahota practiced immigration and family law before her political entry. “Ruby’s legal background and community ties make her ideal to tackle crime,” said a local community leader, as quoted by the Indian Express.

In her new role supporting the Minister of Public Safety, Sahota will be focussed on crafting a fix for rising gang violence and organised crime in Brampton. Her official Liberal Party page states, “She is serving as the Chief Government Whip and is a member of the Board of Internal Economy and Procedure and House Affairs Committee, which she previously chaired.” Having been elected in 2015, the attorney was one of the first Indian-Canadian women MPs.

Who is Randeep Sarai?

First elected as the Member of Parliament for Surrey-Centre in 2015, Randeep Sarai is a community leader, lawyer and entrepreneur. Born in Vancouver, he was raised in South Burnaby. To expand his education background, Sarai graduated from UBC with a Bachelor of Arts and completed his Bachelor of Laws at Queens’ University in Kingston, Ontario.

As a proud father of three, Randeep shares his personal moments with his wife, Sarbjeet. They live in Surrey. “In his spare time, Randeep cherishes time with his family, including their Labrador named Mr. Cuddles, and enjoys activities such as yoga, soccer and jogging,” says his Liberal candidate profile.