Six women have been chosen to serve in Stephen Harper's new cabinet, a slight drop from the total in the last Liberal cabinet.

It also marks a tiny decline in the proportion of women holding portfolios compared to the Liberal cabinets under then prime minister Paul Martin.

Martin named 11 women to his 39-member cabinet in 2003 and had nine women among the 37 MPs holding portfolios when his government was defeated, representation rates of 28 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

Rona Ambrose, who represents the riding of Edmonton-Spruce Grove, becomes environment minister. (File photo)

Women make up about 22 per cent of the new 27-member Tory cabinet, which was sworn in at the Governor General's official residence in Ottawa on Monday morning.

• FROM FEB. 6, 2006: Stephen Harper sworn in as 22nd prime minister

In the most senior position to be held by women, Marjory LeBreton was named government leader in the Senate.

Marjory LeBreton sworn in to cabinet, Monday.

LeBreton was a top aide to former Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney, who appointed her to the Senate.

She was also at Harper's side on the Conservative campaign plane before the January election.

Another prominent Tory in Harper's cabinet is Edmonton's Rona Ambrose, who is fluent in several languages and served in Harper's shadow cabinet.

Calgary MP Diane Ablonczy, Monday.

Ambrose, one of the youngest MPs at age 36, was touted during the last election campaign and widely considered a sure bet for cabinet. She becomes minister for the environment.

Josée Verner will be among those representing Quebec in cabinet, stepping into the roles of international co-operation minister and minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages.

A communications professional, Verner also worked for former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa.

Bev Oda, a Durham MP who is a former CRTC commissioner and served as heritage critic during the last Parliament, becomes minister of Canadian heritage and status of women.

Oda, a former teacher, has also worked for various broadcasting companies, and served on the national advisory committee to the president of the Treasury Board on employment equity in the federal public service and Crown corporations.

Carol Skelton, who represents the Saskatchewan riding of Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, becomes minister of national revenue and minister of western economic diversification.

Skelton, a farmer and former co-ordinator for Canadian Blood Services, served as critic for western economic diversification, human resources and other portfolios after becoming an MP in 2000.

Diane Finley, who represents the Ontario riding of Haldimand-Norfolk, becomes minister of human resources and social development.

Finley, a businesswoman who has worked in senior executive roles with major Canadian private and Crown corporations, served as the party's agriculture critic in the last Parliament.

Prominent Calgary MP Ablonczy omitted from cabinet

One high-profile MP who was touted for a cabinet position but didn't make the cut was Diane Ablonczy, a party stalwart from Calgary who most recently served as the Tory's immigration critic.

In an interview with CBC News, Ablonczy said she discussed the matter with Harper and was told that she wasn't chosen because the party had so many other prominent Alberta Conservatives vying for portfolios.

"There cannot be too many of us from Calgary and that was a sad fact of life," said Ablonczy.

She said Harper had made it clear that he respected the work she had done for the party and asked her to be parliamentary secretary to the finance minister.

There are 14 women in total among the 125 MPs.