Who are Anita Anand and Kamal Khera? Indian-origin ministers in Canadian PM Carny’s cabinet
Two ministers of Indian heritage, Anita Anand and Kamal Khera, have been included in Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney’s newly formed cabinet.
58-year-old Anita Anand, is the minister of innovation, science and industry, while 36-year-old Kamal Khera is the minister of health. The two are among the few members of parliament who have retained their ministerial posts from former PM Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.
Delhi-born Khera is one of the youngest women to be ever be elected to Canada’s parliament. She was first elected as the MP for Brampton West in 2015. She shifted to Canada while in school and went on to graduate from York University, Toronto, with a bachelor of science degree.
The prime minister of Canada’s website says, “Minister Khera is one of the youngest women ever elected to Parliament. A registered nurse, community volunteer, and political activist, she is passionate about improving the lives of those around her.”
In a post on X, she said, “As a nurse, my top priority is to always be there to support my patients and that’s the same mentality I’ll bring every day to the role of Minister of Health. Extremely grateful for the confidence of PM @MarkJCarney. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
She previously served as Khera has minister of seniors, parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development, parliamentary secretary to the minister of national revenue, and as parliamentary secretary to the minister of health.
She used to work as a registered nurse in the oncology department of St Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, before pursuing a career in politics. She returned to work as a nurse in Brampton during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Anita Anand was one of the front-runners to become the next prime minister after Justin Trudeau resigned.
Anand, who moved to Ontario in 1985, worked as a scholar, lawyer and researcher. She was a legal academic, and worked as a professor of law at the University of Toronto, where she held the J R Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance, according to the Canadian PM’s website.
In a post on X, she said, “I am honoured to be sworn in as the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development in @MarkJCarney’s Government. We know that negativity won’t pay the rent or the mortgage. Negativity won’t bring down the price of groceries. Negativity won’t win a trade war. We are united and strong and we will immediately get to work, to build the Canada and the Canadian economy of tomorrow.”
She first became an MP for Oakville in 2019 and has served as president of the treasury board, minister of national defence, and minister of public services and procurement.
Prime Minister Carny was sworn in on Friday in a ceremony presided over by governor general Mary Simon. His cabinet consists of 13 men and 11 women.