In a significant cabinet reshuffle, Marc Miller has been appointed as Canada's new Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages. He replaces Steven Guilbeault, who resigned from Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet last week. The official swearing-in ceremony took place at Rideau Hall on Monday afternoon, December 1, 2025.
Guilbeault's Departure Over Pipeline Deal
The catalyst for this ministerial change was a major energy agreement. Guilbeault resigned after the federal government signed a watershed pipeline deal with the province of Alberta. The former environment minister, a lifelong environmental activist, stated he could not in good conscience defend the decision.
"I asked myself if I would have been able to look in the mirror," Guilbeault explained in an interview on the popular Quebec talk show Tout le monde en parle. "Would I be able to defend these decisions and say: 'Yes. I agree.'"
Guilbeault, 55, is a former Greenpeace activist and co-founder of Équiterre. He gained national attention in 2001 by scaling the CN Tower to protest climate inaction. He was first appointed as federal Environment Minister in 2021 by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and was moved to the culture and identity portfolio in March 2025 under the Carney government.
Who is the New Minister, Marc Miller?
The new minister, Marc Miller, is a born-and-raised Montrealer with Irish roots. He was first elected as a Liberal MP in 2015, representing the riding of Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs. A key figure in the Trudeau government, he previously served as Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and, most recently, as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
Before his political career, Miller was a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions. He holds a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the Université de Montréal and is a graduate of McGill University's law faculty.
Miller is also known for his longtime personal friendship with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The two attended the private Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in Montreal together during the 1980s.
Following the announcement, Miller posted a message on social media platform X, acknowledging Guilbeault's service. "For seven years, Steven and I have been both colleagues and friends," Miller wrote. "I wish him the best and look forward to continuing our work together."
Implications for Language and Identity Policy
This cabinet change places a prominent Quebec MP and Trudeau ally in charge of the sensitive official languages and Canadian identity files. Miller's immediate challenge will be to steady the portfolio following a high-profile resignation linked to core government policy.
The move underscores the ongoing tensions within the federal government between economic development, particularly in the energy sector, and environmental commitments. Guilbeault's departure highlights the difficult balance the Carney cabinet is attempting to strike.
As Minister of Immigration, Miller was already deeply involved in matters of national identity. His new role formally consolidates that focus, placing him at the helm of promoting linguistic duality and Canadian culture at a pivotal time.
