More Ministers Not Seeking Re-Election Ahead of Cabinet Shuffle

Federal Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra arrives at a news conference in Ottawa, on April 24, 2023. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Three additional Liberal cabinet ministers have announced they will not seek re-election ahead of an expected upcoming cabinet shuffle.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Public Services and Procurement Minister Helena Jaczek, and Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray made the announcements in Twitter posts on July 25.

“I’m also stepping aside from my role as Minister because the Prime Minister deserves a Cabinet who is committed to running in the next federal campaign,” said Mr. Alghabra.

“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 the minister, who was first elected as a Mississauga MP in 2006.

Ms. Jaczek, who also represents a riding in the Greater Toronto Area, said she would leave politics after a long career in public service.

“I want to thank the Prime Minister for entrusting me with two Cabinet portfolios as well as including me on numerous Cabinet Committees as we debated the important issues facing Canadians,” said Ms. Jaczek.

Ms. Murray said it has been a“privilege to advance work in tackling climate change, nature conservation and improving the lives of Canadians.”

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Joyce Murray rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 29, 2023. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

The announcements from the three ministers come on the heels of Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett also saying on July 24 she would not run again. Ms. Bennett has been an MP since 1997 and served in various cabinet roles.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to shuffle his cabinet on July 26.

Under Fire

Mr. Alghabra in his statement said he “helped lead our country through many challenging issues,” including COVID-19.

The minister was responsible for implementing the vaccine mandate in the transportation sector, which affected travellers and workers.

While restrictions were progressively lifted, the air transportation sector faced serious issues with delays and chaos in airports.

A declassified memo from Minister Alghabra previously reported on by The Epoch Times said the mandate had a very negative impact on staffing in the sector.

“Operators are reporting acute challenges in staffing critical operating positions across sectors, citing current vaccination mandate as key factor,” says the June 2022 briefing. The mandate was lifted later that month.

Mr. Alghabra also came under fire for his management of the crisis over the holidays this year, with both rail and air sectors being affected by severe weather.

The minister mostly blamed the weather and the industry when he testified before a Commons committee on Jan. 12. “What do you want me to be responsible for? The weather or Sunwing’s bad decisions?” he said.

The committee heard that Mr. Alghabra had not been in touch with airlines during the chaos that saw thousands of flights cancelled and passengers stranded abroad or inside airplanes stuck on the tarmac for extended periods.

Contracts

Ms. Jaczek took over the procurement portfolio from Filomena Tassi in a minor shuffle in August last year. Her department came under fire earlier this year in relation to the increase in contracts awarded to consulting firm McKinsey & Company since 2015.

Ms. Jaczek and Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) President Mona Fortier were tasked by the prime minister to look into the matter. A TBS report issued in June found no evidence of political interference.

Concerns related in part to the close links between former McKinsey boss Dominic Barton, who served on the Liberal’s Council on Economic Growth and later as Canada’s ambassador to China.

Minister of Public Services and Procurement Helena Jaczek speaks to reporters as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on, at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, on Aug. 31, 2022.
The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Ms. Jaczek testified on the matter before the House of Commons government operations committee on Feb. 6 and struck a different tone than Minister Fortier on the need for the federal department to outsource some of its functions.

“I think we need to look at who we’re hiring and where there are opportunities to ensure that we have sufficient internal staff with the qualifications, the skills that we need to perform the tasks in front of us,” she said.

Ms. Fortier told the same committee on Feb. 8 that her government’s “ambitious agenda” justified awarding large contracts to outside firms.

The federal government spent over $3 billion on five large consulting firms since 2015, according to data released in an Inquiry of Ministry in April. McKinsey was awarded over $117 million in contracts over the same period.