Four federal cabinet ministers have decided not to run in the next election, a move expected to prompt a significant cabinet reshuffle, according to reports from Radio-Canada.
Marie-Claude Bibeau (Minister of National Revenue), Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Sports), Filomena Tassi (Minister of Economic Development for Southern Ontario), and Dan Vandal (Minister of Northern Affairs) have informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of their plans to step down.
The ministers, all first elected in 2015, have been key figures in Trudeau’s government, with Bibeau and Qualtrough holding various cabinet roles since their election. Bibeau is reportedly considering a run for mayor of Sherbrooke, with the municipal election scheduled for fall 2025.
The reshuffle, expected to take place in the coming weeks, aims to fill the gaps left by these departures.
This move comes at a time when Trudeau’s leadership is facing increased scrutiny, both from within his party and in the public eye. According to Radio-Canada, advisors to the prime minister have suggested that it might be wise to wait until after the U.S. presidential election on November 5 before finalizing the new cabinet lineup.
Since the summer, six ministers have now confirmed they won’t seek re-election, following the earlier departures of Seamus O’Regan and Pablo Rodriguez. Additionally, 24 members of the Liberal caucus have indicated they do not intend to run in the next election, and seven MPs have resigned since the last vote, including former ministers Marc Garneau, David Lametti, and Carolyn Bennett.
Two sitting Liberal MPs have also publicly called for Trudeaus’ resignation, with Charlottetown MP Sean Casey being the latest to do so earlier this week. He followed New Brunswick MP Wayne Long who was the first to publicly call for Trudeau’s resignation back in June.