File photo: Jason Hafso / Unsplash. Parliament Hill in Ottawa; photograph published in 2020.
Event or reference date: September 25, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced two changes to his parliamentary secretary team on September 25, naming Daniel Gobeil to support the minister of agriculture and agri-food and Sophie Chatel to support the minister of veterans affairs and associate minister of national defence.
The appointments were listed in a short announcement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. The release did not set out new policies for either portfolio or explain the reasons for the changes.
What the jobs involve
Parliamentary secretaries are MPs appointed to assist ministers with their parliamentary work. The House of Commons says that can include presenting documents and answering questions on a minister’s behalf.
The distinction matters when reading government announcements: the cabinet sets the government’s policy direction, while parliamentary secretaries support ministers. These appointments therefore change who helps handle the two portfolios’ work in Parliament; the announcement does not name new cabinet ministers.
Readers looking for changes to agriculture programs or veterans’ benefits will need to look to separate policy announcements or legislation. Neither is included in this appointment notice.
Sources and reporting method
Prime Minister’s Office announcement, September 25
House of Commons: parliamentary secretary responsibilities
House of Commons: cabinet and parliamentary roles
Prepared with AI assistance from the public documents linked above. This article contains no on-scene reporting or independent interviews.
