Carney appoints nurse as health minister

New Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney has chosen the first nurse to be health minister for his new cabinet. Minister Kamal Khera (Brampton West) was first elected during the Justin Trudeau Liberal wave in 2015 and has been re-elected twice. 

Khera is no stranger to cabinet, serving as Minister of Seniors from 2021-2023, and Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities from 2023 until she was tapped for Health Minister on March 14, 2025. 

Now in her mid-30s, she was born in Delhi, India. Prior to entering politics, she attended York University where she earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She went on to work as a registered nurse in the palliative and oncology units at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto.

Khera is no stranger to cabinet, serving as Minister of Seniors from 2021-2023, and Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities from 2023 until she was tapped for Health Minister on March 14, 2025. 

Now in her mid-30s, she was born in Delhi, India. Prior to entering politics, she attended York University where she earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She went on to work as a registered nurse in the palliative and oncology units at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto.

Khera has not met with members of the Canadian Health Coalition in recent years, though she sent a senior staff member to hear our concerns at our 2023 Parliament Hill Lobby.

Minister Khera replaces outgoing Minister Mark Holland, who devoted one of his last days as health minister to addressing over 300 people who attended the SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference in Ottawa last month, which was co-sponsored by the Canadian Health Coalition and other member organizations. Holland announced his departure from politics one day before Kamal Khera was named health minister. 

With an election call widely expected in days, Khera’s term as health minister will be brief. A new cabinet will be named by the victorious party, and should that be the Liberals then it’s possible she would continue in her cabinet role.