OTTAWA – The Carney government unveiled a new front bench of deputy ministers in what insiders are calling the most strategic shuffle in decades. This wasn’t routine: the prime minister deliberately repositioned key roles, created new posts, and brought in a handful of outsiders.

The shuffle was big. Eight deputy ministers are leaving and 12 are moving into new jobs, with another round of moves — said to be on a similar scale — expected in the new year.

Carney locked down the politics, set out his economic strategy, and booked the spending and job cuts in 2025. Now he is putting in place the team he expects to execute his plans.

People familiar with the moves say they were about finding the best fit, not questioning the competence of departing deputies, many of whom are respected and had long careers. Carney and his deputy minister, Privy Council Clerk Michael Sabia – who is also head of the public service – spent seven months sizing up the bench. They selected deputies whose skills and leadership style best matched the government’s priorities — economic growth, energy, natural resources, and defence.

Most deputy minister shuffles are routine, driven by retirements. They plug vacancies and backfill as the dominoes fall. This one drew unusual attention because Carney arrived, signaling he was prepared to move, sideline, or replace senior officials who could not deliver — fueling speculation that outsiders might be brought in to shake up the public service.

The question was whether the government would fill vacancies or use the moment to change course. Insiders say it was both — but tilted decisively toward a strategic reset. “This is the most deliberate and strategic shuffle I’ve seen in more than 20 years,” said one long-time senior bureaucrat with no authority to speak publicly.

By the time the next phase of the shuffle kicks in, Sabia “will have moved a number of deputy ministers he no longer sees as the right fit for his priorities,” said one senior official. Their skills, leadership style, or experience don’t line up with the government’s priorities – or with the speed and results they expect.

Read Kathryn May’s newsletter on the public service, The Functionary.

Another said the shuffle could shift how senior leadership changes are managed.

“Carney and Sabia are being very intentional about using........

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