Pablo Rodriguez has resigned from his position as federal transport minister and will serve as an Independent MP until he launches his campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party in Quebec.
“I have the opportunity to set my own priorities,” Rodriguez said on Sept. 19 in explaining his decision to leave the federal Liberals, adding that his resignation was effective immediately.
Speaking at a press conference in Gatineau, Que., Rodriguez said he had defended the priorities of the government in a “very loyal way.”
“It’s normal, and it’s what I had to do,” he said. “But now it’s more about my vision, the vision of the team that I’m building, that’s what I’m going to put forward for Quebecers.”
Rodriguez had served as transport minister since the last cabinet shuffle in 2023, and has also been Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant, acting as the main adviser and spokesperson on issues relating to the province.
He previously served as minister of heritage, during which time he spearheaded major legislation overhauling the Canadian broadcasting system with Bill C-11 and the news environment with Bill C-18, which compels social media giants to pay media outlets to the display news links on their platforms.
“I’m proud of having defended our local newspapers, journalism, of having countered disinformation and helped to protect the foundations of our democracy,” he said of his record.
Rodriguez was first elected to the House of Commons for the Montreal riding of Honoré-Mercier in 2004. He has represented the riding until today, except from 2011 to 2015 when the NDP swept the country with its “orange wave.”
He is the second minister to leave cabinet this summer, with Seamus O'Regan having first done so in July, citing family reasons.
Rodriguez said he chose to hang on to his seat in the House, sitting as an Independent MP for the next few months, to prevent his riding from having to go in a byelection in a general election year.
The MP’s decision to leave the federal Liberals comes a few days after the party lost a stronghold in Montreal. The Bloc Québécois took the Lasalle-Émard-Verdun riding in the Sept. 16 byelection, defeating the Liberals by 248 votes, according to preliminary results.
Rodriguez had kept quiet on his intentions to leave federal politics, only saying in August he was “honoured” to be courted to lead the Quebec Liberal Party. He told reporters on Sept. 19 that his decision had been made “a while ago.”
He noted he had been busy in recent weeks in his role as transport minister, supporting Labour Minister Mark MacKinnon with the work conflicts in the rail and air sectors, and Montreal byelection campaign was taking place.
“I waited, I did what had to be done. Now that it’s done, I can leave freely,” said Rodriguez.
Now that he’s sitting as an Independent, Rodriguez said he would not automatically support the Liberals during House votes. “It will depend on the vote,” he said.
On the upcoming vote on the confidence motion to be tabled by Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, Rodriguez said he would not support it, saying he doesn’t see the benefit of elections at this time.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said on Sept. 18 he will not vote with the Tories on the motion, who would need support from the Bloc to topple the government.
Legault has increasingly voiced criticism of Ottawa’s immigration policies, which he says cause a strain on provincial services. “It’s urgent that Mr. Trudeau acts to reduce the number [of temporary immigrants] by half,” said Legault in answering questions from reporters during an unrelated joint press conference with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sept. 13.
Rodriguez, who came to Canada from Argentina 50 years ago, said he wants to bring in a uniting vision for Quebec.
