PM Trudeau Appoints Anita Anand as New Transport Minister Following Pablo Rodriguez’s Cabinet Exit

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made a notable adjustment to his cabinet, appointing Treasury Board President Anita Anand as Canada’s new Minister of Transport. This announcement comes in the wake of longtime cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez’s decision to leave his ministerial role to pursue leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP).

Rodriguez’s departure from Trudeau’s front bench has created a void in the Liberal ranks, particularly in Quebec, a position previously held by him. To fill this gap, Minister of Procurement Jean Yves Duclos will assume the role of Quebec lieutenant.

Anand’s swearing-in ceremony took place at Rideau Hall on Thursday afternoon. Although Trudeau was absent from the event, Governor General Mary Simon was present, along with a modest group of family members and staff. This transition signals a potential broader cabinet reshuffle in the coming months, according to sources speaking with CTV News.

In her first public remarks as Transport Minister, Anand expressed gratitude for Rodriguez’s contributions but remained tight-lipped about the implications of his departure for the Liberal party’s future. “His decision is his own, and I wish him all the best,” Anand stated, steering clear of speculating on the political ramifications.

Rodriguez, who will continue to represent the Honoré-Mercier constituency, has opted to serve as an Independent MP until he officially launches his leadership campaign next January. He explained this choice as a strategy to avoid the potential cost of a byelection shortly before a general election. “I am running as an Independent because my priorities must now align with my own vision, rather than those of the government,” Rodriguez noted in French.

First elected in 2004, Rodriguez experienced a significant political shift in 2011 when he was ousted by NDP’s Paulina Ayala during the Orange Wave. He reclaimed his seat in 2015 and has held various cabinet positions, including Government Leader in the House of Commons and Heritage Minister.

His departure from the cabinet comes on the heels of recent Liberal setbacks, including a significant byelection loss in Montreal to the Bloc Quebecois. Rodriguez’s exit is part of a broader trend of high-profile Liberals distancing themselves from the Trudeau administration. Former Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan announced his resignation in July and decision not to seek re-election, while the Liberals’ national campaign director Jeremy Broadhurst also stepped down just before the fall session began.

This series of high-profile exits, coupled with over a dozen Liberal MPs either stepping down or announcing they won’t seek re-election, underscores a period of significant transition and uncertainty within the Liberal Party.