Anita Anand

Indira Anita Anand (born May 20, 1967) is a Canadian lawyer, academic, and politician who has served as the minister of Foreign Affairs since 2025. A member of the Liberal Party, Anand was elected to the House of Commons in 2019 and currently serves as the member of Parliament (MP) for Oakville East.

Anand was first elected as the MP for Oakville in the October 2019 election and was subsequently appointed to Cabinet in November. In the 29th Canadian Ministry, chaired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Anand first served as the minister of public services and procurement, where she was responsible for the federal government's procurement of vaccines and personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, she became the minister of national defence and played a key role in Canadian efforts to provide military aid to Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Anand was the president of the Treasury Board from 2023 to 2024 and the minister of transport and internal trade from 2024 to 2025. ''Maclean’s'' described her at one point as the Trudeau government’s “all-round fixer.”

In the 30th Canadian Ministry, chaired by Prime Minister Mark Carney, Anand was appointed minister of innovation, science and industry. She held the role for two months prior to her appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs following the 2025 federal election.

Anand is the first Hindu woman to be elected to Parliament and the first Hindu member of Cabinet in Canada.

Early life and education

Indira Anita Anand was born in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Her parents were both Indian physicians; her mother Saroj D. Ram was an anesthesiologist, and her father S.V. (Andy) Anand was a general surgeon. Her father was from Tamil Nadu and her mother was from Punjab. Anita has two sisters, her elder sister, Gita Anand, is an employment lawyer in Toronto, and her younger sibling Sonia Anand, is a physician and researcher at McMaster University.

Her parents were followers of Mahatma Gandhi and her father met Mahatma Gandhi when her grandfather, V.A. Sundaram, was working with the Indian independence movement.

In the early 1960s, Anand's mother and father were living in Nigeria when her father travelled to Nova Scotia to investigate the possibility of immigrating to Canada or the United States. Upon landing in Halifax, he rented a car, drove to the Annapolis Valley and "found the right place for his family." They settled in Kentville, a town of approximately 5,000 people, where Anand was born in 1967.

Anand relocated to Ontario in 1985 to pursue her undergraduate degree at Queen's University in political studies. After winning the gold medal in Political Studies in 1989, she went to Wadham College, Oxford to read law. After completing her studies in Oxford, she returned to Nova Scotia, to obtain her Canadian law degree at Dalhousie University before articling in Toronto.

Anand holds four degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in political studies from Queen's University; a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in jurisprudence from Wadham College, Oxford University; a bachelor of laws from Dalhousie University; and a master of laws from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1994.

Anand has held academic positions at Yale, Queen's University and Western University. Before her election, Anand was a law professor at the University of Toronto.

Academic and legal career

Before her political career, Anand was a professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law specializing in corporate governance and the regulation of capital markets. She was previously the J.R. Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance at the Faculty. As of October 2019, Anand is on leave from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law for the duration of her time as an elected official.

Anand began her legal career as an associate at Torys from 1994 to 1997 (with leave to pursue her master's degree), after articling at Torys from 1992 to 1993. She then pursued her teaching career by serving as assistant professor (adjunct) from 1997 to 1999 at the Faculty of Law of Western University. In 1999, she became assistant professor in the Faculty of Law at Queen's University, obtaining tenure and advancing to the rank of associate professor in 2003. She received a U.S.-Canada Fulbright award in 2005 and attended Yale Law School as a visiting lecturer in law (fall 2005) while teaching comparative corporate governance. She was also visiting Olin scholar in law and economics at Yale Law School (2005-2006) and undertook research on the implications of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Canadian public companies.

Anand left Queen's University for the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto in 2006 where she was a full professor. She served as associate dean from 2007 to 2009. From 2010 to 2019, Anand also served as the academic director of the Centre for the Legal Profession, as well as for its Program on Ethics in Law and Business. At the time of her election, she was a senior fellow and member of the Board of Governors of Massey College. She was also cross-appointed to the Rotman School of Management as the director of policy and research at the Capital Markets Research Institute, and to the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.

On September 17, 2019, it was announced that Anand would receive the Yvan Allaire Medal from the Royal Society of Canada. The medal is bestowed annually for an outstanding contribution in governance of private and public organizations. The Royal Society stated that Anand's research "significantly altered global thinking about best practices for boards of directors, including the importance of diversity on boards".

Political career

2019 federal election

In the lead up to the 2019 federal election, Anand decided to pursue the Liberal nomination for the riding of Oakville, Ontario, after the incumbent John Oliver announced that he would not run in the 2019 election. On June 12, 2019, Anita Anand won the Liberal nomination for the riding of Oakville, Ontario by a majority of votes on the first ballot. She defeated former member of Provincial Parliament Kevin Flynn for the nomination. On October 21, 2019, Anand won the riding of Oakville with 30,265 votes.

Anand was sworn in as the member of Parliament for Oakville on November 22, 2019, to represent Oakville in the House of Commons in the 43rd Canadian Parliament.

Minister of Public Services and Procurement

On November 20, 2019, Anand was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council and as the public services and procurement minister at Rideau Hall.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Anand and her department acted to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for Canada's health care system. In order to ensure reliable access to PPE in a hyper-competitive market, Anand and her department adopted an aggressive procurement strategy and engaged a large number of suppliers to diversify Canada's supply chains. In April 2021, Anand told the House of Commons Health Committee that Public Services and Procurement Canada had procured over 2.5 billion articles of personal protective equipment, "with a substantial amount of that equipment being made right here, at home."

Beginning in the summer of 2020, the Canadian government signed contracts with the producers of seven leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, and the producers of supplies needed to package and administer those vaccines. Initially, Canada's target was to receive enough vaccines to fully immunize all eligible Canadians by September 30, 2021. By the end of July 2021, Canada had received a cumulative total of more than 66.4 million vaccines. By August 2021, Canada had attained the highest vaccination rate in the world.

Anand also worked to finalize Canada's agreements with vaccine producers regarding the procurement and delivery of COVID-19 vaccine doses for children. After Health Canada approved the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in pediatric populations under the age of 12 years on November 19, 2021, the first pediatric doses of the vaccine arrived in Canada two days later, on November 21, 2021.

2021 federal election

Anand was re-elected to Parliament following the 2021 Canadian federal election. She defeated Conservative Kerry Colborne with 46 per cent of the vote.

Minister of National Defence

On October 26, 2021, Anand was sworn in as Minister of National Defence at Rideau Hall. She is only the second woman in Canadian history to take on the role of national defence minister, after former prime minister Kim Campbell in the 1990s. Anand stated that her top priority was tackling sexual misconduct and building a durable culture change in the Canadian Armed Forces.

On November 4, 2021, Anand announced that she accepted in full an interim recommendation from former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour that the investigation and prosecution of military sexual misconduct cases be referred to Canada's civilian justice system.

On December 13, 2021, Anand offered an official apology on behalf of the Government of Canada to all those affected by sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence. She was joined by General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, who apologized on behalf of the military, and Deputy Minister Jody Thomas, who apologized on behalf of the department.

On May 30, 2022, Anand was joined by Louise Arbour, General Wayne Eyre, and Deputy Minister Bill Matthews to release the final report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence.

On July 9, 2022, in Truro, Anand and Prime Minister Trudeau offered the Government of Canada's official apology to the members and descendants of No. 2 Construction Battalion, an all-Black battalion that faced anti-Black racism and discrimination during its service to Canada in World War I.

On December 16, 2022, Anand presented a report to Parliament detailing her official response to all 48 of Louise Arbour's 48 recommendations to respond to sexual misconduct and harassment in Canada's military and defence department, pursuant to Arbour's ask that Anand inform Parliament by the end of 2022 of any recommendations that the government would reject. Anand rejected none of the recommendations and stressed the need to change Canadian military culture to attract recruits.

War in Ukraine

In late January 2022, Anand and Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canada would extend its training mission in Ukraine, Operation Unifier, by three years, and raise the ceiling of deployed personnel from 200 to 400. In announcing the extension, Anand stated, "The biggest contribution that Canada can make to Ukraine right now is people. We have trained, our soldiers have trained over 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers. We should not underestimate the importance of this training mission."

A few days later, Anand visited Kyiv as a sign of Canadian solidarity, all while Russia significantly increased its military buildup around Ukraine. Anand stated that "Russia has a choice, and that choice is to negotiate with a view to de-escalation" or it will "face severe sanctions and consequences." While in Ukraine, Anand met with Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov to discuss military aid to Ukraine, including in the area of cybersecurity. Shortly after Anand's visit, in late February the Canadian government did authorize and deliver a $7.8 million package of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

Just days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Anand announced a significant expansion of Canada's contribution to NATO operations in Europe. Under the umbrella of Operation Reassurance she announced the deployment of approximately 120 members of an artillery battery to join the Canadian-led NATO Enhanced Forward Presence battle group in Latvia, and the deployment of an additional to NATO maritime forces.

On March 19, left port and joined NATO maritime forces in the Baltic region. At the departure ceremony, Anand stated, "At this time it is so important for us all to be united, to stand together, to stand against unwarranted and illegal Russian aggression, and to stand up for peace, deterrence and the defensive posture on which NATO is built."

Following Russia's invasion, Anand announced several packages of additional military aid to Ukraine throughout February and March 2022, including Carl Gustaf anti-armour weapons, rockets, helmets, gas masks, and night-vision goggles. Further types of military aid announced by Anand included fragmentation vests and meal packs, 4,500 M72 rocket launchers and up to 7,500 hand grenades, and funding to enable Ukraine to purchase modern satellite imagery. Anand also announced the procurement and donation to Ukraine of Canadian-made, specialized cameras for Bayraktar TB-2 drones.

On March 8, during a trip to Latvia, Anand and Prime Minister Trudeau announced the multi-year renewal of Operation Reassurance.

On April 14, at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton, Anand announced that the Canadian Armed Forces would deploy between 100 and 150 troops to Poland, to assist with Polish efforts to manage the flow of, and care for, Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. In late April 2022, Anand announced further military aid for Ukraine. On April 22, 2022, Anand confirmed that Canada had delivered M777 howitzers to Ukrainian Forces. At a conference of the Ukraine Defense Consultative Group at Ramstein Air Base, Canada announced that it had signed a contract for eight armoured vehicles for Ukraine. Just days later, Anand confirmed that the Canadian Armed Forces had begun to train Ukrainian forces in the use of the howitzers.

On April 28, 2022, Anand met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during her first official visit to the United States. Anand and Austin told reporters that they had discussed further military aid to Ukraine and modernization of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

On May 8, an additional $50 million in military assistance to Ukraine was announced, including 18 drone cameras, $15 million for high-resolution satellite imagery, additional ammunition and small arms. On May 24, Anand announced at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Victoria that Canada had purchased more than 20,000 rounds of artillery ammunition for Ukraine, which are compatible with M777 artillery guns provided by Canada, at a cost of $98 million CAD. On June 15, at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Anand announced that Canada would donate $9 million worth of M777 howitzer replacement barrels to Ukraine.

At the 2022 NATO Leaders Summit in Madrid, Anand signed an agreement with Latvia's Defence Minister, Artis Pabriks, to upgrade the Canadian-led NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia to a brigade size. At the summit, Canada also committed new military aid for Ukraine, specifically, six drone cameras and up to 39 armoured combat support vehicles. Days later, Anand visited General Dynamics Land Systems' facility in London, Ontario to meet with workers who assemble the armoured combat support vehicles, and said in an interview, “GDLS armoured vehicles are top of the line and we want to provide vehicles that are readily usable, easily accessible and able to be repaired if damaged. Ukraine asked for these.”

In July 2022, at the 15th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas in Brasília, Anand led an effort to convince other countries present to denounce the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Anand told ''Politico'' that “Canada and I, as the representative here, felt that it's very important to voice this concern in a tangible way here at the conference... There is an impact of the Russian invasion on this region, a negative impact on economies here, on food security in our hemisphere.” Canada's efforts were successful, with the conference's final declaration stating, "The conflicts present around the world, such as the invasion of Ukraine and the violent acts by armed groups that terrorize the population in Haiti are not legitimate means to settle disputes, therefore the Member States of the CDMA, seek peaceful solutions as soon as possible." The Declaration also included a disclaimer by Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, the United States of America and Uruguay, reiterating these countries "condemnation in the strongest terms of the Russian Federation's illegal, invasion of Ukraine."

On August 4, 2022, Anand announced the deployment of up to 225 Canadian Armed Forces personnel to the United Kingdom to train new recruits to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, under Operation Unifier.

In September 2022, Anand told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that it would boost the capacity of the Royal Canadian Air Force hub in Prestwick, Scotland, by adding a third C-130 Hercules aircraft and boosting its presence to 55 personnel, thus enabling it to deliver additional military aid to Ukraine.

Days after Russian missiles struck Kyiv and other civilian centres in Ukraine, Anand visited Warsaw on October 11, 2022, and met with her Polish counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak. While in Warsaw, Anand announced the deployment of approximately forty Canadian Armed Forces combat engineers to Poland to train Ukrainian sappers under Operation Unifier. Referring to the Russian attacks, Anand condemned the Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities as war crimes. The next day, at a meeting of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Anand announced an additional $47 million CAD in military aid to Ukraine, including "artillery rounds, satellite communications, winter clothing and drone cameras, among other assistance."

On November 14, 2022, Canada announced an additional $500 million in military aid for Ukraine, bringing its total commitment of military aid to over $1 billion CAD since February 2022. On November 16, 2022, Canada announced the extension of Operation Unifier in the United Kingdom through the end of 2023. At a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group later that day, Anand also announced that Canada would contribute $34 million in additional military aid to Ukraine, in the form of drone cameras, additional winter clothing, and satellite services.

Following Ukrainian officials' repeated asks to NATO countries for air defence systems, Anand announced on January 10, 2023, that Canada would donate a NASAMS air defence system to Ukraine at a cost of approximately $406 million. "In the face of Russia's brutal airstrikes on Ukraine, this air defence system will help to protect Ukrainian population centres and critical infrastructure against drone, missile, and aircraft attacks,” Anand said. Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine's defence minister, said that the system will “considerably reinforce” Ukraine's defence capabilities.

Anand visited Kyiv and Irpin during a trip to Ukraine on January 18, 2023. There, she met with Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov and announced that Canada would donate 200 Roshel Senator armoured personnel carriers manufactured in Mississauga, Ontario. This announcement marked the full allocation of the additional $500 million in military aid to Ukraine announced by Canada on November 14, 2022.

Anand announced on January 26, 2023, that Canada would donate four of the Canadian Army's Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, with the possibility of more to follow.

NORAD and continental defence

Anand's 2021 mandate letter from Prime Minister Trudeau instructed her to "work with the United States to modernize the North American Aerospace Defence Command."

On June 20, 2022, at CFB Trenton, Anand announced a five-point NORAD modernization plan that is estimated to cost approximately $40 billion over twenty years. Anand said that there was “pressing need” to respond to threats like hypersonic and cruise missiles, and declared that the plan was “the most significant upgrade to NORAD from a Canadian perspective in almost four decades.”

Anand declared, “In close coordination with the United States, we will establish the backbone of a brand-new northern approaches surveillance system to enhance surveillance and early warning threats to our continent," adding that this new system will “essentially push our line of sight further north, ensuring we will be able to respond to fast moving threats like hypersonics.” US Ambassador to Canada David Cohen welcomed the funding, stating, “The United States looks forward to continuing to strengthen our collaboration with Canada on continental defence and security, including in the Arctic."

During a visit to Labrador on August 24, 2022, Anand confirmed that CFB Goose Bay would be one of four northern locations to receive basing upgrades under the $15.68 billion allocated for infrastructure upgrades in Canada's NORAD modernization plan.

On January 9, 2023, Anand announced that Canada had finalized the acquisition of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force. In a statement, Anand said, “As the rules-based international order is challenged around the world, the F-35 will be essential for protecting Canadians, enhancing Arctic security and national sovereignty, and enabling Canada to meet its NATO, NORAD and other obligations well into the future." At a press conference, she added, "these projects will sharpen our military edge to keep Canadians safe and they will create economic opportunities for our country."

Indo-Pacific

Days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Anand told the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence that "Europe is not the only fault line in the global security environment at the current time." She spoke about the need to be "cognizant of China's range of assertive activities in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world ... the patterns are there for all to see, frankly." Anand described Chinese activity in the East and South China Seas as "coercive", also citing theft of intellectual property, "irresponsible and very concerning behaviour in cyberspace", and the detention of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig.

While in Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2022, Anand addressed Chinese interceptions of Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft. She told ''Reuters'', " e interceptions by the Chinese of our (aircraft) are very concerning and unprofessional and we need to ensure that the safety and security of our pilots is not at risk, especially when they are simply monitoring as required under UN-sanctioned missions."

Following a visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Anand told CBC News in August 2022 that "it is routine for legislators from our countries to travel internationally, and China's escalatory response simply risks increasing tensions and destabilizing the region." She called on China "not to unilaterally change the status quo by force in the region and to resolve cross-strait differences by peaceful means."

During her keynote address at the 2022 Halifax International Security Forum, Anand foreshadowed the release of the Trudeau government's Indo-Pacific strategy. She stated that Canada would "increase tsmilitary presence and enhance tsdefence and security relationships with partners and allies in the ndo-Pacificregion." She added, "We will challenge China when we ought to. We will cooperate with China when we must."

On November 27, 2022, Anand announced the defence and security elements of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy. Anand said that the strategy will boost Canada's annual deployment of frigates to the Indo-Pacific from two to three, and that it would bolster participation of Canadian aviators and soldiers in regional military exercises. The Strategy referred to China as an "increasingly disruptive global power."

President of the Treasury Board

Anand assumed the position of President of the Treasury Board following a cabinet shuffle initiated by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid a challenging political environment for the incumbent Liberal party.

Greening Government

In her role, Anand worked to advance the Greening Government Strategy, modernize and strengthen the Government of Canada's digital capabilities, strengthen management of taxpayer dollars, and promote diversity and inclusion within the public service. In October 2024, Anand announced that the federal government would purchase at least $10million of carbon removal services in the race to reach net-zero government operations by 2050. The purchases in carbon removal services will be made through TBS’ Low-Carbon Fuel Procurement Program (LCFPP), an eight-year, $134.9 million initiative to reduce emissions from federal air and marine operations. This investment followed the Budget 2024 decision to expand the LCFPP to include the procurement of carbon dioxide removal services in addition to low-carbon intensity fuels.

Transforming Canada's Public Service

In October 2023, Anand announced the creation of a restorative engagement programme in the public service to address systemic discrimination, and ensure the Government is working to be inclusive. In February 2024, Anand announced an action plan for Black public service employees. The implementation of the Action Plan was to be led by an internal task force made up of primarily Black employees. The task force was to engage through check-ins with employee networks, surveys, and discussions with Black public servants to further the implementation of current and future initiatives under the Action Plan. In October 2024, Anand joined 50 Black executives from 2 cohorts to celebrate the launch of a new stream of the Executive Leadership Development Program.

One of Anand's priorities was modernizing legacy IT systems and increasing cybersecurity across the federal government. Anand launched the GC Digital Talent Platform to allow employees with digital knowledge and skills to apply for jobs in the public service in January 2024, as part of her work to strengthen Canada's public service. In May 2024, Anand announced a Government-wide Cyber Security Strategy. The strategy outlined an approach to ensure that the Government can combat cyber threats and address vulnerabilities across the government's digital estate. That same month, Anand announced nationwide consultations with public and private experts on creating an AI strategy for the public service. Public consultations for this strategy were announced in September 2024.

In June 2024, Anand announced her intent to expand early pension eligibility for frontline safety and security workers across the federal government, or the "25 and out" pension. These proposed changes would provide consistency to how the pension plan recognizes the demanding nature of the day-to-day duties for these occupational groups.

Canada-US Regulatory Cooperation Council

Early in 2024, Anand announced her intention to re-ignite the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council, a bilateral forum between Canada and the United States that focuses on reducing regulatory barriers to ease trade, and save money for cross-border businesses

In her role as Treasury Board President, Anand announced “25 and out” early retirement benefits for frontline public servants on December 18, 2024. These benefits were outlined in the Fall Economic Statement dated December 16, 2024.

Minister of Transport

In September 2024, the Prime Minister appointed Anand to Minister of Transport, in addition to her role as President of the Treasury Board.

Air

In her new role, Anand announced a US preclearence facility will be built at Billy Bishop Airport downtown Toronto. In October 2024, Anand also announced $45 million in rail safety nationwide.

On December 21, 2024, she released the Airline Passenger Protection Regulations. Canada was the first country to bring in regulations of this sort and Minister Anand is seeking to strike the right balance between passenger protections and a competitive airline industry. In particular, the Canadian Transportation Agency’s proposed amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations were published in Part I of the Canada Gazette on December 21, 2024, for a 75-day public comment period.

Minister Anand explained that, “The goal of these proposed amendments is to make the regulations clearer for both travellers and air carriers. The proposed amendments eliminate grey zones and ambiguity about when passengers are owed compensation, which will ensure quicker resolutions for passengers."

Shipping

In February 2025, Anand announced major investments to strengthen port infrastructure, supply chain efficiency, and transportation decarbonization throughout Canada. On February 5, Anand announced $25 million for the Halifax Port Authority to advance the Halifax–Hamburg green shipping corridor, reducing emissions and improving port infrastructure. On February 11, she announced $35.5 million for clean marine technology in British Columbia under the Green Shipping Corridor Program, funding shore power, clean energy adoption, and low-emission vessels. This funding also allows for shore power technology, low-emission vessels, and clean energy adoption at ports, which will accelerate Canada's transition to net-zero marine transport. On February 12, Anand announced $33.1 million for six infrastructure projects in British Columbia and Alberta under the National Trade Corridors Fund. The investment supports rail and port upgrades to enhance freight movement, intermodal connections, and supply chain efficiency. These investments strengthen Canada's trade networks and advance sustainable transportation.

On February 4, 2025, Anand announced over $125 million through Canada's Oceans Protection Plan to strengthen marine safety in 47 communities.

Rail

In October 2024, Anand announced $45 million in rail safety nationwide. Then on February 12, 2025, Anand together with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Martin Imbleau, President and CEO of Alto, announced Alto, Canada's first high-speed rail network connecting Toronto and Quebec City. Spanning and reaching speeds of , the project will cut travel times in half, with additional stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montreal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. As Canada's largest infrastructure project, Alto is expected to boost GDP by $35 billion annually, create over 51,000 jobs during construction, and enhance economic productivity. The government committed $3.9 billion over six years for project development, with Cadence, a consortium of global transportation firms, selected to design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the network. Anand highlighted Alto's role in strengthening regional economies and reducing emissions and the collaboration between public and private partners to deliver a modern, efficient transportation system.

Minister of Internal Trade

Anand was sworn into a new cabinet position as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade as of December 20, 2024.

Anand was speculated to be a potential candidate in the 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On January 11, she announced that she would not be standing for re-election in the 2025 Canadian federal election, instead opting to retire from politics to return to academia and research. On January 25, she endorsed former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney; and retracted her intention to retire from politics, opting to seek re-election.

Anand launched a public consultation about the Canada-US border on January 31, 2025, aimed at expanding security screening at Canadian ports, enhancing background checks, reinforcing border security, and protecting supply chains.

As the United States considered new tariffs, Anand emphasized the importance of strengthening internal trade and supporting Canadian businesses to ensure long-term economic stability. She advocated for reducing internal trade barriers between all provinces and territories, and enhancing domestic market resilience, arguing that greater economic integration within Canada will bolster competitiveness and safeguard jobs. Anand said that eliminating interprovincial trade barriers could boost GDP and domestic trade. She pushed for regulatory reforms to streamline trade between provinces, given mounting external trade pressures.

On February 7, 2025, Anand attended the Canada-U.S. Economic Summit, where she emphasized the need for a long-term prosperity agenda for Canada amid a 30-day pause on U.S. tariffs. Anand met leaders from trade, business, public policy, Indigenous communities, and labour to discuss strategies for breaking barriers, diversifying exports, and boosting productivity.

Anand led efforts to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and improve labour mobility, working with provinces and territories to streamline regulations, cut red tape, and enhance economic integration.
Anand said that Canada's fragmented regulatory framework limits domestic trade, making it easier for some businesses to export abroad than to neighbouring provinces. She pushed for harmonizing agricultural regulations, simplifying licensing requirements, and removing restrictions on the transport of goods. With U.S. tariffs looming, Anand positioned internal trade reform as a critical tool to offset protectionist policies.

On January 31, Anand outlined her proposal for tackling barriers to internal trade in an opinion piece in the ''Toronto Star''. She called for renewed federal, provincial, and territorial cooperation to build a more integrated domestic economy, ensuring that businesses and workers can operate seamlessly across Canada. At a Government announcement at the Port of Halifax on February 5, Anand committed to making significant progress on Internal Trade within 30 days. In the midst of U.S. tariff threats, Anand scheduled an urgent meeting of the Committee on Internal Trade, bringing provinces and territories together in Toronto on February 21.

At that meeting, provinces and territories committed to eliminating exceptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), prioritizing the removal of regulatory and administrative barriers to the movement of goods in Canada, ensuring workers can work in any jurisdiction in this country without delay, and making it easier to buy and sell Canadian goods from one another. On February 21, ''The Globe and Mail'' broke the story that the federal government was removing more than half of their exceptions from the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, opening up competition across the country. The Committee on Internal Trade met again in Toronto on February 28, preparing their proposal for the First Ministers Meeting. On March 5, the provinces and territories, in a meeting of the First Ministers with then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reached an agreement on a number of measures to reduce internal barriers to trade, including direct-to-consumer alcohol sales.

Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

On March 14, 2025, Minister Anand was sworn into a new cabinet position under Mark Carney's government as Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Following the 2025 federal election, Anand was appointed minister of foreign affairs in Mark Carney's reshuffled cabinet.

Personal life

In 1995, Anand married her husband John. They have lived in Oakville for 21 years, from 1997 to 1999 and since 2005. The couple has four children.

Anand was awarded the 2022 Global Citizen Award by the United Nations Association in Canada.

Electoral record

References

External links

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Bio
from the Prime Minister's official website
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