Trudeau’s cabinet kicks off 2-day retreat focused on trade, wildfire response

Justin Trudeau may have ruled out an early fall election, but as the prime minister gathers his cabinet for a retreat in Nanaimo, B.C., Wednesday, the Liberals look more and more like a government with next year’s campaign on its mind.

The haze of smoke from B.C.’s brutal wildfires hung over the Vancouver Island city Tuesday as ministers new and old arrived and posed for an updated family photo.

Trudeau’s cabinet is forming a new ad hoc cabinet committee to co-ordinate its response to the recovery and rebuilding effort after the wildfires, similar to an approach taken after fire devastated Fort McMurray, Alta., in 2016.

“Combatting a crisis of this nature involves a great many departments and agencies of the government of Canada,” said Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. “The level of engagement and collaboration has been extensive right from the very start.”