Canadian businessman Maninder Sidhu appointed as International Trade Minister

IANS May 14, 2025 909 views

Canadian businessman Maninder Sidhu has been appointed as the new International Trade Minister in Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet. At 41, Sidhu brings extensive international trade expertise from his own business consulting background. His appointment follows a strategic progression from parliamentary secretary to a full ministerial role. Sidhu's mission focuses on expanding Canadian business opportunities and connecting with global markets.

"Canada is a trading nation — and we must strengthen and expand the infrastructure that connects us to global markets" - Maninder Sidhu
Ottawa, May 14: Canadian businessman Maninder Sidhu, who was a parliamentary secretary, has been appointed as International Trade Minister.

Key Points

1

Sidhu transitions from parliamentary secretary to international trade minister

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Brings entrepreneurial background to cabinet role

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Focuses on diversifying Canadian trade opportunities

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Part of Carney's mandate for change

Sidhu, 41, who was sworn in as a minister on Tuesday, is an entrepreneur who runs his own international trade specialist business.

He says in his LinkedIn page that he “worked with businesses across Canada to provide strategic advice with a focus on trade, tariffs and growth opportunities”.

Elected to parliament in 2019, he did a short stint as the parliamentary secretary to the Foreign Minister.

Sidhu next parlayed his business experience to become the parliamentary secretary to the International Trade Minister and has now jumped to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet, assuming that portfolio.

He said in an X post that Carney has placed his confidence in him “to diversify trade, support Canadian businesses in reaching new global markets, and help create good-paying jobs across Canada”.

Before his appointment, he said on Facebook about his future mission, “Canada is a trading nation — and we must strengthen and expand the infrastructure that connects us to global markets”.

Sidhu and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand are two Canadians of Indian descent with international-focused portfolios.

Carney has appointed Anita Ananda to the powerful post of Foreign Minister in his new cabinet charged with fulfilling the “mandate for change”.

One of Anand’s missions will be to pilot the reset of the almost ruptured ties with India that Carney signalled, while managing the delicate relations with President Donald Trump’s America.

Announcing the new cabinet of 28 ministers, he instructed them to "bring new ideas, a clear focus and decisive actions to their work”.

Anand, who was the transport minister and had earlier held the defence portfolio, said in January that she was leaving politics and returning to academia.

But Carney persuaded her to return to the cabinet and take the foreign affairs portfolio after she was re-elected in last month’s election.

Reader Comments

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Rajesh K.
Great to see people of Indian origin reaching top positions abroad! Hope Mr. Sidhu uses his expertise to improve Canada-India trade relations. We need more win-win partnerships between our countries. 🇮🇳🤝🇨🇦
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Priya M.
While it's good to see Indian diaspora succeeding, I hope these ministers don't forget their roots. Canada has been taking some anti-India stands recently - hope they can bring more balanced policies.
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Amit S.
Interesting appointment. Canada needs to focus on real trade issues rather than political posturing. Maybe someone with Indian background can help bridge the gap. But actions matter more than origins.
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Neha T.
Congratulations to Mr. Sidhu! As someone in export business, I hope this leads to easier trade policies between our countries. India has so much to offer in textiles, pharmaceuticals and IT services.
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Vikram J.
Hope this isn't just tokenism. Canada needs to show through actions that they value India as a partner. The Khalistani issue has damaged relations - trade ministers should focus on business, not politics.
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Sunita R.
Good to see qualified people getting important roles regardless of background. But I wonder - will having Indian-origin ministers actually change Canada's foreign policy approach towards India? Time will tell.

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Tags:
Maninder Sidhu Canadian Politics International Trade Mark Carney Canadian Cabinet Trade Minister