Trudeau appoints mental health and addiction minister to new cabinet

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has created a new ministry to tackle his elections promises on mental health and addictions.

Carolyn Bennett, who served recently as minister of Crown-Indigenous relations, has been tapped to take on the new minister of mental health and addictions role.

The Liberals’ platform promised a new federal transfer of $4.5 billion over five years to provinces and territories to provide accessible, free mental-health services.

Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos will take over as health minister from Patty Hajdu, who became the face of the federal government’s response in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.