Women hold powerful roles in Carney’s cabinet and PMO, but none are in prime minister’s inner circle, say some Liberals

Vandana Kattar, a former senior adviser to former prime minister Justin Trudeau, calls it ‘folklore’ that Prime Minister Mark Carney has no women in his inner circle, pointing to several senior staffers and cabinet ministers who serve as influential advisers to him.

Pictured from top left and clockwise: Mark-André Blanchard, Michael Sabia, Braeden Caley, Tom Pitfield, Gerry Butts, and Bruce Anderson are all considered to be part of Prime Minister Mark Carney's inner circle. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Stuart Benson, Jake Wright, and courtesy of Instagram

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BY ABBAS RANA

December 1, 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet and senior ministerial staff ranks include a significant number of women, but there aren't any women in the prime minister’s inner circle on whom he relies for top-level, day-to-day strategic advice, say some Liberals.

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