Pablo Rodriguez quits Trudeau cabinet to seek Quebec Liberal leadership

Pablo Rodriquez has resigned from his presumption arsenic transport curate successful the national furniture and volition beryllium seeking enactment of the Quebec Liberals, helium told reporters connected Thursday.

“I person informed the premier curate of my resignation arsenic Canada’s transport curate and Quebec lieutenant, effectual immediately,” helium told reporters.

“I person besides decided to beryllium arsenic an Independent MP until the motorboat of the enactment run adjacent January. This is successful bid to debar costly byelections a fewer weeks oregon months earlier January.”

Sources told Global News determination volition beryllium a mini furniture shuffle to displacement his roles arsenic transport curate and Quebec lieutenant to individuals already successful the national furniture connected Thursday.

Rodriguez’s determination comes arsenic the latest stroke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, who mislaid a cardinal byelection successful the stronghold riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun successful Montreal connected Monday.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller connected Tuesday was asked if Rodriquez, who is besides Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant, made his determination aft the byelection loss.

“Any determination taken by Pablo Rodriguez presently has perfectly thing to bash with the results successful LaSalle—Émard,” Miller told reporters.

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Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said his enactment is “obviously precise grateful” for the enactment Rodriguez has done for the state and Quebec, and that his departure “leaves a hole.”

“He is simply a precise important antheral for our furniture and our caucus, but determination (are) a batch of different MPs and ministers that enactment down and volition support warring for the interests of Quebecers and Canadians.”

Rodriguez was antecedently the curate of Canadian Heritage, and was archetypal elected successful 2004. He was defeated successful 2011 earlier winning backmost his spot successful 2015.

The Quebec Liberals person been without a person since Dominique Anglade resigned pursuing her decision successful the 2022 provincial election.

— with files from The Canadian Press