Paradis in and Clement out at Industry

Christian Paradis is the new minister of industry. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a cabinet shuffle Wednesday in which Paradis, MP for Mégantic-L'Érable, Que., was promoted from the position of natural resources minister to the minister of industry and minister of state for agriculture. Industry Minister Paradis will have several hot-ticket digital policy issues under his portfolio, including copyright reform, foreign ownership in the telecom sector, Internet and consumer issues, broadband connectivity, the 700 MHz spectrum auction, and the federal government's national digital economy strategy. In the cabinet shuffle Wednesday, former industry minister Tony Clement was moved to the new position of president of the Treasury Board, where he will look for annual savings of $4 billion. James Moore will remain as minister of heritage. Paradis has served as a fast-rising member of Harper's Conservative caucus. First elected in the 2006 election, he was appointed secretary of state for agriculture in 2007 and as public works minister in 2008. Paradis also serves as Prime Minister Harper's Quebec lieutenant, and the Prime Minster's Office said Wednesday that Paradis will sit on the high-profile priorities and planning cabinet committee. Prior to politics, Paradis ran a legal practice specializing in corporate law. He graduated from the Université de Sherbrooke in civil law and holds a graduate degree in corporate law from Université Laval. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) said in a release Wednesday that it hopes the new ministry will focus on the role of the Canadian cultural industries as it prepares for the release of a national digital economy strategy. ACTRA said Canadian cultural industries contribute 1.1 million jobs and more than $85 billion to Canada's GDP. “It’s a new day, we’ve got a new government and we’re keen to start working with both Ministers on the shared files that directly impact our cultural industries,” Ferne Downey, ACTRA's national president, said in a statement.

Paradis in and Clement out at Industry

People | 05/18/2011 9:16 pm EDT

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