A spokesman for Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said he is receiving “many requests” to join the race to lead the Quebec Liberal Party.
But Rodriguez, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s deputy in Quebec, has not confirmed whether he will seek the leadership of the provincial party.
Jacques Martineau, Rodríguez’s communications director, says the minister is “genuinely moved by the numerous requests he has received” to make the leap into provincial politics.
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A source with knowledge of the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race said the minister is seriously considering running for the party’s leadership. The source declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
However, the source raised some doubts about whether Rodriguez is the right person for the job, in part because he carries the baggage of nine years in the federal Liberal government.
The Quebec Liberal Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The party will elect its new leader next June. Former Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre is so far the only official candidate in the race.
Rodríguez began his political career in Quebec, where he was a member of the youth wing of the provincial Liberals in the 1990s. He was a Liberal MP from 2004 to 2011, and again since 2015.
He has been a cabinet minister since 2018 and also acts as a key advisor and spokesperson on Quebec-related issues.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
