Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez is expected to resign from cabinet in order to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec, CBC News and Radio-Canada sources say.
Rodriguez is expected to make a statement about his cabinet resignation on Thursday in Gatineau, Que.
CBC News has agreed to keep the identities of the sources confidential because they are not authorized to speak.
Rodriguez also serves as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant.
The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) has been without an official leader since Dominique Anglade resigned in November following the party’s crushing defeat in the Quebec 2022 election. The party won less than 15 per cent of the popular vote — the lowest vote share in its history.
Liberal MNA Marc Tanguay was named interim leader but said last year he would not seek the party leadership.
It is believed that Rodriguez’s background as the son of an immigrant, a student in Sherbrooke, a member of the youth commission of the Quebec Liberal Party in the 1990s and a federal minister could resonate with Liberal activists. According to one source, he would bring a breath of fresh air to the provincial Liberals.
At the National Assembly, Liberal MNA for Pontiac André Fortin noted on Wednesday that Rodriguez has a “long list of accomplishments federally.”
“He’s somebody who brings a wealth of experience so I can’t wait to see what he has to say to party members and Quebecers,” Fortin said. He noted that it would be good to have “economic candidates, to have young candidates who can really portray a sense of renewal for the party.”
Asked about Rodriguez’s interest in the PLQ, Quebec Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault said Wednesday it would be good to have another transport minister with a “Quebec sensibility.”
“Because we know we need money for our roads and public transit and there’s some disengagement from the federal government in terms of financing,” Guilbault said.