Two Ministers Step Down Ahead Of Expected Cabinet Reshuffle

Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has confirmed that he will not be standing for his GTA riding at the next general election and as such is standing down from his cabinet post. He is the second Liberal minister to announce their resignation today, following Minister for Public Services and Procurement Helena Jaczek earlier this morning. On 24 July, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett announced she will not be standing at the next election either. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to replace around six ministers in a reshuffle on Wednesday 26 July according to CBCand Reuters.

• Senior ministers such as Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly are expected to retain their positions.
• The next Canadian federal election does not have to be held until October 2025 at the latest. However, Trudeau's minority centre-left Liberal party gov't remains reliant on support from the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) to pass legislation. While the two parties have managed to work together since 2021, there is no guarantee this state of affairs continues and votes on key legislation remain fraught with the possibility of NDP defections.
• The main opposition centre-right Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leads in opinion polling. In the 24 July federal by-election in the riding of Calgary Heritage the CPC retained the seat, which until 2016 was held by long-standing CPC PM Stephen Harper, with a +5.13% swing in the party's favour.