Anita Anand, the Indian-origin Canadian politician, has been appointed as Canada’s new foreign minister in a major Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Mark Carney.Anand replaces Mélanie Joly in the role and previously served as the country’s defence minister. She took her oath with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita, a tradition she has followed in previous Cabinet appointments as well.The 58-year-old was born in Nova Scotia to Indian immigrant parents—her mother from Punjab and her father from Tamil Nadu. She has built a strong career in law, teaching, and public service.Before entering politics, she worked as a corporate lawyer and joined an Ontario government expert panel in 2015. She was elected MP from Oakville in 2019 and served as minister of public services and procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic, later becoming defence minister.Anand is married to Canadian lawyer and business executive John Knowlton, and they have four children. Although she had recently announced plans to step away from politics, the fall of former PM Trudeau’s government and Carney’s rise brought her back into leadership.Anand holds four degrees, including a BA in Political Studies from Queen’s University (gold medallist), a BA in Jurisprudence from Oxford, a law degree from Dalhousie, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto.The reshuffle comes as Carney builds his newly elected Liberal government. His Cabinet includes 28 ministers and introduces secretaries of state, aiming to signal a fresh start from the Trudeau era.Anand became the first Hindu to serve in Canada’s federal Cabinet in 2019. She has earned praise for her disciplined and focused approach, especially during her time at the defence ministry.Carney’s appointments balance experience and diversity, with women making up half of the Cabinet.The changes come amid tense Canada-US relations. Carney has promised to stand firm against US President Donald Trump, particularly on trade. In a statement, Carney said the Cabinet was chosen to “deliver the change Canadians want and need.”Anand visited the Vaishno Devi Temple in Oakville on Mother’s Day. She posted on X: “It warmed my heart to see so many families across #Oakville coming to celebrate and remember our mothers together.”
