Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his new cabinet today, who were sworn in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) would like to congratulate and welcome the Honourable Patty Hajdu, appointed as the new Minister of Indigenous Services, and the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, who will move into the role of Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, as announced in today’s cabinet shuffle announcement. Indigenous tourism is a key economic driver for many Indigenous communities in Canada and ITAC is looking forward to working very closely with the new ministers to continue to provide support for Indigenous tourism businesses who have been devastated by the pandemic.

The Honourable Marc Miller, formerly Minister of Indigenous Services, has moved to Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. ITAC would like to thank the Honourable Marc Miller for his strong advocacy as the Minister of Indigenous Services and looks forward to continuing to work with him closely in his new role.

“Congratulations to all cabinet members. We are excited to continue working and building great relationships with the ministers overseeing Indigenous portfolios,” says Keith Henry, President and CEO of ITAC. “The Indigenous tourism industry has fallen through the cracks over the years despite showing strong interest from tourists and a profitable impact on our economy. We hope the new ministers understand the impact tourism can have and will continue to work with us to support the recovery and build resiliency to ensure a stable economy and growth for Indigenous business owners.”

ITAC would like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to the Honourable Mélanie Joly, formerly Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, and the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, formerly Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. They have both taken new roles in the cabinet: Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Minister of Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, respectively.

“We would like to thank the Honourable Mélanie Joly and the Honourable Carolyn Bennett for all their hard work,” says Henry. “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with them to date and greatly appreciate their ongoing dedication to the Indigenous tourism industry. We wish them the best of luck in their new roles.”

Click here to view the complete list of Justin Trudeau’s updated cabinet via CBC News.