International Trade Minister Mary Ng announced on Feb. 10 that she will not seek re-election, becoming the latest cabinet member to step away from politics following some high-profile departures.
Ng, who has represented the Ontario riding of Markham—Thornhill since 2017, announced her decision in a social media post. While she did not provide specific reasons for her decision, Ng said it followed “careful reflection” and discussions with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“My faith in Canada’s future remains unshakeable. Though I won’t seek re-election, I remain committed to building this future – because Canada is a place where anything is possible,” Ng wrote in the statement.
The Liberal Party has a 99 percent chance of winning Markham—Thornhill if an election were held immediately, according to estimates from the polling and electoral projection website 338Canada on Feb. 9.
Before taking on the trade portfolio in 2019, Ng was appointed minister of small business and export promotion in July 2018, where she oversaw financial support programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Canada Emergency Business Account, Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance, and the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.
In her Feb. 10 statement, Ng highlighted her work as “Canada’s longest-serving Minister of International Trade,” including overseeing the implementation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, signing free trade agreements, and advancing trade diversification strategies. She also called for more support for Canadian businesses as the country navigates a temporary reprieve in its tariff battle with the United States.
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On the same day that Ng made her announcement, Justice Minister Arif Virani took to social media to announce his decision not to run in the next election, citing the toll of political life on his family. Virani said that he will continue to serve as the MP for the Toronto riding of Parkdale—High Park until the election.
On Feb. 6, Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada announced she will not seek re-election in the next federal race and will instead run to lead one of Montreal’s major parties in the upcoming municipal elections.
The ministers’ announcements come after Trudeau shuffled his cabinet in December 2024, filling several positions where ministers are stepping away from politics, including former Housing Minister Sean Fraser, National Revenue Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Sport Minister Carla Qualtrough, and Southern Ontario Economic Development Minister Filomena Tassi. Earlier in July, former Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan also stepped down for family reasons and announced he would not be running in the next election.
Other departures from the Trudeau cabinet include former Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who resigned last September to run for the Quebec Liberal Party leadership; former Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, who resigned in November to focus on clearing his name amid allegations involving a company he co-owned.
Two other senior members of the Liberal caucus who have resigned are now vying for the party’s top role, including former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and former Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Karina Gould.
Matthew Horwood and Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
