Pablo Rodriguez quits Trudeau cabinet to seek Quebec Liberal leadership
“I have informed the prime minister of my resignation as Canada’s transport minister and Quebec lieutenant, effective immediately,” he told reporters.
Pablo Rodriguez has stepped down from his role as Canada’s transport minister and will pursue leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party, he confirmed to reporters on Thursday.
“I have notified the prime minister of my resignation as transport minister and Quebec lieutenant, effective immediately,” Rodriguez said.
He also announced his intention to sit as an Independent MP until the leadership campaign begins in January. “This is to avoid the cost of holding byelections just weeks or months before January,” he explained.
According to sources cited by Global News, a mini cabinet shuffle is expected, with Rodriguez’s responsibilities as transport minister and Quebec lieutenant being assigned to current cabinet members.
Rodriguez’s resignation follows a challenging week for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, who lost a key byelection in the Montreal riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun on Monday.
Asked if Rodriguez’s decision was influenced by the byelection loss, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said on Tuesday that “any decision made by Pablo Rodriguez at this time has absolutely nothing to do with the results in LaSalle—Émard.”
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos praised Rodriguez, stating, “We are obviously very grateful for his contributions to Quebec and Canada, and his departure creates a gap.”
Rodriguez has served in various roles, including as minister of Canadian Heritage. He was first elected in 2004, lost his seat in 2011, but regained it in 2015.
The Quebec Liberals have been leaderless since Dominique Anglade stepped down after her defeat in the 2022 provincial election.
Meanwhile, Quebec Premier François Legault urged the Bloc Québécois to support a Conservative non-confidence motion against Trudeau’s government next week, potentially triggering a federal election. However, Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet, while acknowledging the ideological alignment between his party and the Parti Québécois, stated he would not support the motion, saying he serves Quebecers "based on my own judgment."
