Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced Thursday he would step down from his cabinet position and as Quebec premier, but will remain a member of the National Assembly, CTV News has confirmed.
The longtime cabinet minister is also expected to announce his candidacy for the Quebec Liberal party leadership race on Thursday.
Rodriguez’s vacancy will force Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make changes to his cabinet until he decides who will take over the transport ministry and Quebec premiership.
It also means the premier’s cabinet will have one fewer Quebec representative, further damaging the Liberal party’s second by-election defeat in just three months. The Bloc Quebecois on Monday won the long-held Liberal seat of LaSalle-Emard-Verdun, which had been vacant following the resignation of former Justice Minister David Lametti.
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters on Wednesday on his way to a Liberal caucus meeting that he had “deep gratitude” for all the work Rodriguez has done in different areas.
Duclos specifically pointed to Quebec’s controversial and legendary infrastructure projects, such as the Quebec streetcar system, as examples of the progress Rodriguez made as transport minister.
“We are so grateful for all he has done for our country and state, and especially my community, over the past few years,” Duclos said.
“Obviously, he’s a big gaping hole. He’s a very valued member of our cabinet and our caucus. But there are many other MPs and ministers who will remain and continue to fight for the interests of Quebecers and Canadians,” he added.
Rodriguez represents the Montreal-area electorate of Honoré-Mercier and has served as transport minister since last summer’s cabinet reshuffle.
He was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2004, but lost to the NDP’s Paulina Ayala in the Orange Wave campaign.
Rodrigues regained his seat in 2015 and has since served as cabinet leader and minister of culture and heritage.
Rodriguez is stepping down from his cabinet position to focus on provincial politics, joining a growing number of prominent Liberals who are leaving the federal party.
Former Labor minister Seamus O’Regan also resigned from cabinet in July and announced he would not seek re-election.
Rodriguez is expected to run for the Quebec Liberal Party to replace former leader Dominique Anglade, who resigns in late 2022, a month after the party lost the provincial election to Premier François Legault’s Quebec Future Coalition.
Party members are due to elect a new leader at a party conference in June next year.
With files from CTV News Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos
