Two more Liberal cabinet ministers announced that they will not be seeking re-election, continuing a popular trend within the Trudeau government over the past year.
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, and International Trade Minister Mary Ng confirmed Monday they will be stepping away from politics following the end of their term.
Virani said he intends to spend more time with family in the coming years and won’t be running again in 2025.
“I have spoken with the Prime Minister and informed him that I will not be seeking re-election in 2025,” he wrote in a social media post Monday.
Virani, who represents the riding of Parkdale-High Park in Toronto, said his decision was brought on by seeing the strain that his life in politics had taken on his family after a “considerable amount of soul searching.”
“They have only known a life with their husband and dad in politics, frequently out of the city, sometimes out of the country,” reads Virani’s statement. “My family have given so much to allow me to pursue my dreams of serving not only our community, but our nation. It is my turn now to give back to the people I love the most.”
Ng also posted her statement to social media, which confirmed that after serving in cabinet since 2018, she will not be seeking re-election either.
“I’m deeply grateful to my dedicated Constituency and Ministerial teams, my cabinet colleagues who exemplified true teamwork, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose leadership reminds us daily that our mission is to make Canada better for everyone,” reads Ng’s statement.
She went on to say that her “faith in Canada’s future remains unshakeable.”
Ng represents the Markham-Thornhill riding in Ontario and was first elected during a 2017 byelection.
Virani and Ng join the growing list of Liberal cabinet ministers and MPs who have said goodbye to the party, including Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan who announced his resignation several weeks ago.
Sajjan’s resignation echoed that of Virani, saying that Canada’s “political landscape has become increasingly toxic and polarized.”
Former high-ranking cabinet minister Marco Mendicino announced he would not be running in the next federal election in January as well.
Four other cabinet ministers announced last fall they wouldn’t be seeking re-election.
Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Sports Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Economic Development for Southern Ontario Filomena Tassi and Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal informed Trudeau that they won’t be running again in the next federal election.
All four were elected in the 2015 election.
Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan and Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez both announced they would be stepping down last year as well.
Rodriguez indicated that he would leave to seek the Quebec Liberal leadership.
