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OTTAWA — Soraya Martinez-Ferrada has resigned her posts as federal tourism minister and Liberal party national campaign co-chair to pursue the job of Montreal mayor.
Martinez-Ferrada shared her resignation letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media Thursday.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is one that I know is right, in which I will continue to fight for progressive values,” Martinez-Ferrada wrote.
“The desire to serve the city that welcomed the young refugee from Chile, to serve the city that gave me my start in politics, is one that is too important for me to ignore.”
Trudeau announced Thursday afternoon that Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge will assume Martinez-Ferrada’s ministerial duties in tourism and Quebec economic development.
In the social media video post, Martinez-Ferrada announced her candidacy to lead the municipal party Ensemble Montreal.
On April 6, Ensemble Montreal members will select the new leader who will represent the party as its mayoral candidate in the city’s November election.
Mayor Valérie Plante is not seeking re-election.
Martinez-Ferrada was one of the Liberals’ national campaign co-chairs, alongside Terry Duguid, the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.
Parker Lund, Liberal party spokesperson, said Duguid will continue to work closely with national campaign director Andrew Bevan and his deputy Marjorie Michel ahead of the next election. He added there is “no news to share as of now” about naming Martinez-Ferrada’s replacement as co-chair.
While the next federal election is not scheduled to take place until the fall, there is a strong likelihood Canadians will go to the polls earlier. All three main opposition parties are saying they plan to bring down the minority Liberal government at the earliest opportunity.
The House of Commons is set to reconvene on March 24, and confidence votes on the throne speech and government funding are expected to quickly follow.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2024
David Baxter, The Canadian Press