Prime Minister Justin Trudeau risks losing another cabinet minister as Transportation Minister Pablo Rodriguez considers a run to lead the Quebec Liberals.
Minister Rodriguez has served in several key positions since being first elected in 2015.
However, according to a Radio-Canada report, Rodriguez has been approached by provincial counterparts asking the Honoré-Mercier MP to run in the upcoming Quebec Liberal leadership race.
Rodriguez is seriously considering becoming the Quebec Liberals’ leader, discussing the idea with colleagues, including fellow francophone Liberal MP Francois-Philippe Champagne.
The Quebec Liberals have been without a permanent party leader since Dominique Anglade resigned the leadership in late 2022. In the 2022 provincial election, the Quebec Liberals suffered a steep drop in support province-wide, losing voters to the Quebec Conservatives and the governing Coalition Avenir Québec.
Pollster and professor Philippe J Fournier told True North that pursuing the Quebec Liberal leadership may not be in Rodriguez’s best interest.
“Rodriguez holds a safe LPC seat in Montreal. It would be easy for him to stay on to rebuild LPC post-Trudeau. So I am not sure, but I am leaning no,” said Fournier.
“Quebec Liberals are polling below federal Liberals in Quebec. Maybe there is room for the QLP to grow with the CAQ stumbling, but there is definitely risk for Rodriguez. Hard to label this move as “opportunist” if it happens.”
When asked if Rodriguez would help the Quebec Liberals expand their party’s support, Fournier expressed some doubt.
“Some would argue the QLP needs young blood, and Rodriguez isn’t that,” said Fournier. “But regardless what one thinks of Rodriguez, he would bring experience to what will be a new team. Also, QLP needs to grow outside Montreal, not sure Rodriguez helps in that regard.”
The sole candidate in the Quebec Liberal leadership race is former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre, a centre-left politician for nearly 40 years.
Despite Coderre’s extensive experience in Quebec politics as Montreal’s former mayor and a Liberal MP for nearly 16 years, Fournier thinks that Rodriguez would beat Coderre in a leadership election “easily.”
The Quebec Liberals plan on holding their leadership election in June 2025.
While the Quebec Liberals have been without a leader for over a year, the party is projected to finish second in the provincial election as the CAQ’s support continues to dwindle.
If Rodriguez decides to leave federal politics, he will join a growing list of Liberal cabinet ministers and MPs who have decided to bow out of federal politics ahead of the next election.
Last month, Trudeau cabinet minister Seamus O’Regan announced that he would immediately be stepping down as minister of labour and would not be seeking reelection.