He is a human rights lawyer and serves as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations
Gary Anandasangaree has been sworn in as Canada's new minister of justice and attorney general as Prime Minister Mark Carney reshapes the federal cabinet.
Anandasangaree is a human rights lawyer and serves as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and northern affairs. He will replace Arif Virani, one of several Trudeau-era ministers not seeking re-election.
His appointment is part of Carney's efforts to assemble a streamlined cabinet that is expected to focus on economic and trade challenges, CBC News reported. Carney intends to reduce the number of ministers from 37 to a range of 15 to 20, a shift aimed at strengthening Canada's response to trade tensions with the United States.
Anandasangaree was elected a member of parliament for Scarborough—Rouge Park in 2015. He has served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of Crown-Indigenous relations and to the minister of Canadian heritage and multiculturalism.
Born in Sri Lanka, Anandasangaree is an internationally recognized human rights lawyer and a strong advocate for legal reform and access to justice. He has also represented Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada at the United Nations.
Anandasangaree served as chair of the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre, president of the Canadian Tamils' Chamber of Commerce, and counsel to the Canadian Tamil Congress. He was legal counsel to the Independent Mortgage Brokers and Agents, a board member of the Youth Challenge Fund, a member of the Toronto Police Chief's Advisory Board, and a member of the United Way Newcomers Grant Program.
Anandasangaree obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and was called to the bar in 2006. He later established and managed his law firm in Scarborough.
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA) welcomed Anandasangaree's appointment. "We look forward to working with him and his cabinet colleagues," said CBA president Lynne Vicars. "We also want to thank former minister Arif Virani for his commitment to improving the justice system over the past few years, including his efforts to reduce judicial vacancies and strengthen access to justice."
The CBA reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the government to uphold the rule of law and ensure a fair and efficient legal system.
