Who is Anita Anand, Canada's new Indian-origin Foreign Minister

In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Canadian politician Anita Anand as the country’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs.

A legal scholar and former Minister of National Defence, Anand becomes the first practising Hindu to hold the post in Canadian history.

A senior member of Canada's Liberal Party, the 58-year-old politician who took her oath on the Bhagavad Gita symbolises a quiet but profound milestone in the country’s political evolution.

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Personal life

Born in Kentville, Nova Scotia, in 1967, Anita is the daughter of Indian immigrants — her mother hailing from Punjab and her father from Tamil Nadu.

Her Indian-origin physician parents moved from Nigeria to Kentville in Nova Scotia, where they raised their three daughters.

Despite growing up in a predominantly white region of Canada, Anita retained strong cultural and religious ties. She and her husband John raise their four children in Oakville.

Political rise

Anita moved to Ontario in 1985, where she pursued a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from the Oxford University, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto.

A member of the Bar of Ontario since 1994, she began her political career in 2019, winning the Oakville seat for the Liberal Party. She was re-elected in 2021 and swiftly ascended through the Cabinet ranks.

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Service record

Anita has held several high-profile portfolios, including Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry most recently, as well as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, President of the Treasury Board, Minister of National Defence, and Minister of Public Services and Procurement.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a key role in negotiating contracts to secure vaccines, personal protective equipment, and rapid tests for Canadians.

As defence minister, she was lauded for reform efforts within the armed forces and for her steady leadership during crises, amid global security challenges.

Cultural roots

Anita Anand’s Hindu faith has remained an understated yet consistent feature of her public life. Over the years, she has spoken of the values instilled in her by her parents, particularly a commitment to education, integrity, and public service.

She has taken her oath of office with her hand on the Bhagavad Gita since her first Cabinet appointment in 2019.

Her cultural grounding was evident this year as she marked Mother’s Day by visiting a local Vaishno Devi temple in Oakville, highlighting her enduring ties to her heritage.

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Ethnic diversity in Cabinet

With her new portfolio, Anita takes charge of Canada’s foreign policy during a volatile global period. PM Carney, seeking a “fresh start,” has entrusted her with one of the government’s most powerful roles.

Carney’s new Cabinet, which features 28 ministers and includes secretaries of state, has been praised for balancing experience, gender equality, and ethnic diversity.

Half the Cabinet members are women, and several, like Anita Anand, come from immigrant backgrounds. He also introduced secretaries of state, aiming for a fresh start from the Justin Trudeau-era.