RN appointed Canada’s new health minister

OTTAWA – Kamal Khera (pictured), member of parliament for Brampton West, has been sworn in as Canada’s minister of health by prime minister Mark Carney. Khera, a registered nurse, assumes the portfolio as part of Carney’s newly streamlined 23-member cabinet.

Prime minister Carney said, “Kamal Khera brings a rare blend of frontline healthcare experience and parliamentary leadership to the role of minister of health. At a time when Canadians need a resilient and accessible health system, her expertise will drive meaningful progress.”

Khera’s mandate is expected to prioritize issues of hospital capacity, primary care access, and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen public health infrastructure nationwide.

Elected in 2015 as MP for Brampton West at the age of 26, Khera became one of the youngest women ever to serve in parliament. Born in Delhi, India, and raised in Brampton, she graduated in nursing from York University.

Her career as a registered nurse included work in palliative and oncology care at St. Joseph’s Health Centre in Toronto, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered in a Brampton long-term care facility and administered vaccines in her community.

Khera most recently served as minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities (2023-2025). On June 8, 2024, Khera announced the launch of the federal government’s new Anti-Racism Strategy, a $110.4 million investment aimed at driving action in employment, justice and law enforcement, housing, healthcare and immigration systems.

Khera also rolled out the Canadian Disability Benefit in the 2024 Canadian federal budget, providing an investment of $6.1 billion to help uplift thousands of working-age persons with disabilities and their families. As proposed, the benefit is estimated to increase the financial well-being of over 600,000 low-income persons with disabilities.

Following her swearing-in as health minister, Khera addressed reporters, emphasizing her priorities. “Canadians deserve a healthcare system that works for them – whether in Brampton or across the country. I’ve seen the gaps up close as a nurse and an MP, and I’m committed to closing them with this team,” she said. “Collaboration with provinces, territories, and communities will be key to delivering results.”

As a national election approaches before October 20, 2025, her tenure will be a litmus test for the Liberal government’s healthcare commitments.