4 more Trudeau cabinet ministers won't seek re-election: sources

Four additional federal cabinet ministers have decided not to seek re-election, Radio-Canada has learned, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to prepare for another cabinet reshuffle amid mounting pressure on his leadership.

Marie-Claude Bibeau (National Revenue), Carla Qualtrough (Sports), Filomena Tassi (Economic Development for Southern Ontario), and Dan Vandal (Northern Affairs) have informed Trudeau that they will not run in the next federal election.

All four ministers were elected in 2015, with Bibeau and Qualtrough serving in various ministerial roles since then. Bibeau is reportedly considering running for mayor of Sherbrooke in the fall of 2025.

Sources told Radio-Canada that these ministers will be removed from their positions during a cabinet reshuffle in the coming weeks, although the exact date for the shuffle has yet to be set. Some advisors to the prime minister suggest waiting for the outcome of the U.S. election on November 5 before finalizing the new cabinet lineup.

Growing Number of Departures

With these four ministers stepping away, six ministers in total have decided not to run again since the summer, following the earlier departures of Seamus O'Regan and Pablo Rodriguez, both of whom were close allies of Trudeau.

Radio-Canada reports that 24 members of the Liberal caucus have confirmed they will not seek re-election. This tally excludes seven MPs who have already resigned since the last election, including former ministers Marc Garneau, David Lametti, and Carolyn Bennett.

A major cabinet overhaul in the summer of 2023 aimed to revitalize the government by bringing in new ministers. However, Trudeau has since struggled to improve his standing in the polls against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, and this new wave of resignations risks deepening the perception of a government in turmoil.

Pressure Mounts on Trudeau to Step Down

The announcement of these resignations comes as Trudeau faces increased internal resistance. A group of Liberal MPs is organizing to push him out, circulating a document calling for his resignation. At least 20 MPs have signed the document, with plans to confront Trudeau during the caucus meeting in Ottawa next week.

Some MPs have publicly called for Trudeau to step down, including Sean Casey, who says his Charlottetown constituents are demanding change.

"The message I’ve been getting loud and clear — and increasingly so — is that it’s time for [Trudeau] to go. And I agree," Casey said in an interview with Power & Politics host David Cochrane on Tuesday. "People have had enough. They’ve tuned him out, and they want him gone."

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly reaffirmed her support for Trudeau in response to the internal revolt.

"He's the prime minister. There are conversations in caucus... He'll make the decision. Period," Joly said during an interview on En direct avec Patrice Roy on Wednesday.

Jean-Yves Duclos, Trudeau’s newly appointed Quebec lieutenant, also expressed his confidence in the prime minister's leadership, adding, "Some MPs may be looking more in the rear-view mirror than forward."

MP Joël Lightbound criticized the secretive efforts by some colleagues to push Trudeau out.

"I'm a loyal person. If I have something to say, I won't do it with my face covered. I'll do it with my face uncovered. That's what bothers me about this move," Lightbound told reporters on Wednesday.