OTTAWA - Justin Trudeau will shuffle his front bench Wednesday to install the roster of ministers that will be entrusted with leading the Liberal team into next year's election.
The changes will expand the prime minister's cabinet by adding new posts to showcase up-and-coming MPs and to broaden the profile of a party that has long pinned its fortunes to the Trudeau brand.
The shuffle is also expected to ensure deft communicators are well-placed to spell out the government's positions and defend policies on hot political issues leading up to the 2019 election campaign.
Insiders have also indicated there's a possibility Ottawa will appoint a minister dedicated to seniors.
The mid-summer shakeup will give ministers a couple of months to get up to speed on their new portfolios before they return to Parliament this fall, and the Liberals will hope they can master their responsibilities ahead of the election.
In some cases, Trudeau could lighten the work loads of cabinet ministers who currently oversee more than one portfolio -- for instance, Kirsty Duncan and Bardish Chagger are each responsible for two posts and they might see their duties divided into distinct jobs.
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