In a surprise move, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will likely shuffle Jim Prentice into the Ministry of the Environment on Thursday, while Tony Clement takes over his industry portfolio, sources have told CTV News.

That would open up Clement's current role of health minister. It would also mean John Baird, the current environment minister, could have a new cabinet post.

Sources say Baird will take over the Ministry of Transport, allowing Lawrence Cannon to switch over to the Department of Foreign Affairs. Cannon has been transport minister since 2006 and has also acted as Harper's Quebec lieutenant.

The last minister of foreign affairs, David Emerson, chose not to run for Parliament in the last election. He had replaced Maxime Bernier in the portfolio back in May, after that minister resigned because he left sensitive government documents at the home of his former girlfriend.

There have actually been three foreign affairs ministers since Harper first took office.

Before Bernier, Peter MacKay had occupied the post. But Harper shuffled him into the Department of National Defence to replace Gordon O'Connor, who had struggled to defend the Tories from opposition attacks on how the government was handling the Afghanistan mission.

In other expected moves for Thursday, sources say either Stockwell Day, Rob Nicholson or Peter Van Loan may become the next minister of trade.

The trade portfolio is expected to take on greater importance if Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wins the White House.

Analysts say a Democratic government would be more protectionist, and Obama has suggested he would be willing to re-negotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The prime minister is also expected to bring more women into his cabinet, and may appoint newly elected MPs like Gail Shea or Leona Aglukkaq into low-profile portfolios.

Shea won the Conservatives' first seat in P.E.I. in the last two decades, but it was a narrow victory that forced a recount. Aglukkaq is the former health minister in Nunavut, and could become the new minister of northern development.

Other women who could be named to cabinet positions or given promotions include newly elected MPs Lisa Raitt and Shelly Glover, along with experienced Tory MPs like Rona Ambrose and Diane Ablonczy.

Sources indicated Ambrose is tapped for a position in human resources, while Ablonczy may move to the health portfolio.

Harper has faced criticism in the past for having male-dominated cabinets. When he first became prime minister, he had only seven women in his 31-member ministry.

In the prime minister's last cabinet, 22.5 per cent of the portfolios were held by women. That's similar to the United States, but lower than other developed countries. In Britain, it was 34 per cent; in France, 32 per cent; and in Germany, it was 36 per cent.

In other cabinet shuffles, junior players like Jason Kenney and James Moore are expected to move up the ladder. Kenney could be moved to citizenship and immigration, while Moore could move to the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Sources also indicated the following moves:

• B.C. MP Jay Hill takes over as House Leader from Van Loan
• Heritage Minister Josee Verner could switch to intergovernmental affairs
• Revenue Minister Gordon O'Connor may become the chief government whip
• Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Amateur Sports Minister Helena Guergis could be demoted

With a report by CTV's Robert Fife in Ottawa