Several prominent federal cabinet ministers have announced their intentions not to seek re-election ahead of an anticipated cabinet shuffle amid Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s declining popularity with Canadians.
The Prime Minister is expected to do a substantial cabinet shuffle Wednesday – his largest one since the 2021 federal election.
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett announced Monday that she would not seek re-election.
“Serving the people of Toronto St. Paul’s is the best job anybody can have, and I look forward to just doing whatever I can and whatever the Prime Minister wants me to do,” said Bennett at a Monday press conference. She was first elected to parliament in 1997.
During her time in cabinet, Bennett received criticism for her support of controversial “safe supply” drug policies, her role in pushing the government’s assisted suicide agenda and for sending an offensive text message to former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced on Twitter Tuesday morning that he too would not run for re-election. He also resigned from cabinet.
“This was not an easy decision, it’s always tricky to figure out the best timing for such a step, but I feel it’s the right time for me,” said Alghabra. He served as MP for Mississauga Erindale from 2006 to 2008, and Mississauga Centre from 2015.
During his tenure as Transport Minister, Alghabra was widely criticized for his handling of major problems plaguing Canada’s airports. He was an avid supporter of mask and vaccine mandates as well as the botched ArriveCAN app. He was also criticized for his stance on Israel.
Public Services and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek and Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray have also announced that they will not seek re-election.
More major changes are expected in tomorrow’s cabinet shuffle.
La Presse is reporting that Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti will be ejected from cabinet. CBC has also reported that Mona Fortier
and Marco Mendicino will be leaving cabinet.
Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Ahmed Hussen and Minister of Official Languages and Minister Responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Ginette Petitpas Taylor have cancelled planned announcements – leading to speculation that they too may be shuffled.
Sources have also told Radio Canada that Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc was asked to return to Ottawa this week.
Sources have also told Radio-Canada that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault will not be changing portfolios.
Angus Reid’s popularity tracker shows just 36% of Canadians approve of Trudeau’s performance as Prime Minister, while 59% disapprove. A recent survey conducted by Research Co. found that 30% of Canadians believe Trudeau is the worst prime minister in modern Canadian history – more than any other prime minister in the last 55 years.
A poll by Abacus Data also found that only 20% of Canadians believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party deserve to be re-elected. Meanwhile, 81% of Canadians said they want a change of government.
Projections from 338Canada show Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party would win the most seats if an election was held today.
This story will be updated if more ministers make announcements about their re-election plans.
