Article content

The Industry Ministry, once considered a key cabinet portfolio, is no more. Absent from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet appointments on Wednesday was any minister solely responsible for industry in Canada.

Instead, Trudeau wrapped together into one innovative-sounding package the ministries of science and technology and Industry Canada, with his appointment of Ontario MP Navdeep Bains as Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development — imagery clearly meant to conjure fewer mental pictures of steel mills and more of laboratories and fibre optics.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or What happened to Industry Canada? Trudeau elevates scientific research in new cabinet role Back to video

Observers say the combined portfolio is likely to result in more federal research and development spending for manufacturing and other industries.

On the surface, it also signals an elevated role for scientific research in Canada, University of Calgary assistant professor of political science Melanee Thomas said.