Canada’s agriculture minister is planning to retire from federal politics.
Lawrence MacAulay has decided he will not seek the Liberal nomination in his riding of Cardigan, which he has represented for over 36 years — making him the longest serving Liberal in the House of Commons.
As reported, MacAulay had invited guests to a “major announcement” at a community centre in his hometown of St. Peter’s Bay, PEI on Saturday afternoon.
“With a heavy heart, but no regrets, I have decided that I will not be a candidate in the next federal election,” said MacAulay, in a post on social media. “It has been the honour of my life to represent the people of eastern Prince Edward Island, but I’m not a young man anymore and I want to spend whatever time I have left with my family.”
He was reappointed as agriculture minister by Prime Minister Trudeau in 2023 after serving in the role from 2015 through early 2019.
MacAulay joins around a dozen members of the Trudeau cabinet who have announced they are not running for re-election
Whoever wins the Liberal leadership race on March 9 will have to name a new cabinet, which will likely include MPs who intend to run in the looming federal election. Nova Scotia MP Kody Blois, who was named parliamentary secretary for agriculture and agri-food last week, would be a leading candidate to replace MacAulay in the agriculture role if frontrunner Mark Carney becomes the next Liberal leader.
