Mishall RehmanThe Department of National Defence (DND) ushered in a new deputy minister this month following an announcement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that shuffled several cabinet positions.
Trudeau appointed Stefanie Beck, the previous deputy minister of agriculture and agri-food, as the new Deputy Minister of DND. The previous deputy minister, Bill Matthews, has been appointed Secretary of the Treasury Board.The changes went into effect on June 3.
CDS welcomes new Deputy Minister
To mark the occasion, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre, and Associate Deputy Minister Natasha Kim released a joint statement to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) on June 3, 2024, to welcome Stefanie Beck.
“Many of you will remember Deputy Minister Beck from her former role as Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, and we are excited that she will be bringing her wealth of experience on global and domestic issues during an exciting time for the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces (DND/CAF). As we work to implement historic investments through our new Defence Policy, Our North, Strong and Free, to continue to progress on culture change, to modernize our processes, support our CAF members, and more, we look forward to Stefanie’s leadership, perspectives, and expertise on such important files,” read the statement.
The two also thanked and bid farewell to Bill Matthews. He has served as deputy minister of national defence since January 2022.
“On Friday, we said goodbye to a tremendous partner and friend, Deputy Minister Bill Matthews, as he departed to become the new Secretary of the Treasury Board. We extend our appreciation to Bill for his exceptional service, unwavering teamwork, and exemplary leadership these past few years, and wish him immense success in his new role.”
Previous experience with DND
Stepping into DND is not a new experience for Beck. From 2022-2023, Beck served as the Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence. In this role she worked alongside then-Minister of National Defence Anita Anand and Deputy Minister of National Defence, Bill Matthews.
In a statement in 2022, Beck noted how her years as a public servant have led her to collaborate with Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members many times.
Additionally, under Trudeau, Beck has served in many capacities, including the Global Affairs department and Trade and Development Canada.
