News
Gary gets key ministry in new Canadian Cabinet
… responsible for agencies tasked with national security, including intelligence
MP Gary Anandasangaree, of Sri Lankan Tamil origin, has been appointed as the Minister of Public Safety in Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new Cabinet, Canadian media reported yesterday (14)
Anandasangaree will oversee key agencies tasked with Canada’s national security, including the Canada Border Services Agency, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Anandasangaree previously served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General — the first Tamil-Canadian to do so — under Carney’s first Cabinet in March. He held this role alongside that of Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, to which he was appointed under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s final Cabinet in December 2024.
Anandasangaree was re-elected into his local riding with an overwhelming majority in the federal election in April, continuing his position as a Member of Parliament in Scarborough-Guildwood-Rouge Park (previously Scarborough-Rouge Park) since 2015.
The Tamil Guardian reported that Anandasangaree, a lawyer and a long-time advocate for Tamil rights, has played an instrumental role in pushing for justice for war crimes and accountability for the genocide in Sri Lanka. He drove the implementation of sanctions by the Canadian government against Sri Lankan officials implicated in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
He also championed parliamentary efforts to formally recognise May 18th as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, with Canada becoming the first country in the world to do so — a move that was widely welcomed by Tamil survivors and human rights advocates.
Anandasangaree is a member of Carney’s new Cabinet of 28 ministers, who will be supported by 10 secretaries of state. Anita Anand, an MP of Indian Tamil descent, was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Carney, who replaced Trudeau as the Prime Minister in March, led the Liberal Party to a fourth consecutive mandate, but fell two seats short of the threshold of 172 seats needed to secure a majority government.
News
M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.
News
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
News
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.
The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.
But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.
The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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