The growing list of Liberal MPs not seeking re-election in the upcoming election
The number of Liberal MPs announcing that they will not seek re-election continues to grow weekly. This has been a trend for the past two years.
Author: Isaac Lamoureux
The number of Liberal MPs announcing that they will not seek re-election continues to grow weekly. This has been a trend for the past two years.
Thirty-two Liberal MPs have announced they will not seek re-election. If we include those who have since backtracked and those with stipulations — the count rises to 35.
The list is longer than a previous tally compiled by True North, which featured twenty Liberal MPs calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation.
Below is the list of MPs who will not seek re-election, ordered from the most recent to the earliest announcement, beginning after the prime minister.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament. This might cease to be the case when Trudeau is replaced on Mar. 9. If Mark Carney wins the leadership race, then the sitting prime minister will no longer be an MP. This rare occurrence hasn’t happened since John Turner overtook the Liberal Party of Canada from Pierre Trudeau in 1984.
Jennifer O’Connell
The most recent Liberal MP to announce they would not seek re-election at the time of the article’s publication was Jennifer O’Connell.
She announced her unwillingness to seek re-election on Feb. 14, 2025, after a nearly 20-year career representing Pickering as a city councillor, regional councillor, deputy mayor, and finally a Member of Parliament.
O’Connell said that the online attacks have ramped up in the last few years due to misinformation and disinformation, which have led to threats of violence and sexual violence.
“If the political discourse does not change in Canada, we will see tragedies that we have seen in other countries happen here; it won’t be a matter of ‘if’, but a matter of ‘when,” she said.
O’Connell was the MP who said, “boo hoo, get over it,” in response to questions about MPs working for foreign governments.
Arif Virani
Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, announced on Feb. 10 that he would not be seeking re-election.
Virani said his wife and children have only known the life of politics, causing him to be out of the country often.
“People say that is the price of public service. But it is hard to appreciate the toll that price takes on you unless you live it,” said Virani. “My family have given so much to allow me to pursue my dreams of serving not only our community, but our nation. It is my turn now to give back to the people I love most.”
Virani is known for his work on the Online Harms Act. He also faced scrutiny for misleading Canadians about the capital gains tax hike, prompting him to delete a video on the subject.
Mary Ng
On the same day as Virani’s announcement, Liberal MP Mary Ng also announced that she would not seek re-election.
“While working hard for Marham—Thornhill remains a high priority, I’ve also been able to make a difference as Canada’s longest-serving Minister of International Trade,” said Ng. “In this role, I dedicated myself to helping Canadian businesses thrive both at home and abroad. My first priority has been safeguarding our access to the world’s largest economic partnership through CUSMA, our free trade agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico.”
The announcement to not seek re-election comes a week after Canada got a month-long reprieve from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threat.
Harjit Sajjan
Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan announced on Jan. 22 that he too would not seek re-election.
Sajjan previously served as Minister of National Defence, Minister of International Development, and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada.
He applauded himself for increasing federal funding for housing, Canada’s military spending, the military’s response to COVID-19, and Canada’s foreign assistance to gender equity.
Marco Mendicino
Another Liberal MP who served in various ministerial roles, Marco Mendicino, announced on Jan. 2, 2025, that he would not seek re-election.
“I am forever grateful for the strong support of my constituents in each of the elections, which we won by decisive margins,” said Mendicino. “However, as much as I love the job, this is the right decision, at the right time, for me and my family.”
Mendocino previously served as the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship.
Soraya Martinez Ferrada
Liberal MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada announced her resignation as Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec on Feb. 6, 2025. She also resigned as campaign co-chair for the Liberal Party of Canada’s National Campaign Committee in the next federal election.
Instead of continuing as a member of parliament in the next federal election, Ferrada has elected to run to become the mayor of Montreal.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is one that I know is right, which I will continue to fight for progressive values,” she said.
Anita Anand
Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand announced simultaneously on Jan. 11, 2025, that she would not be seeking re-election as a Member of Parliament and would not be entering the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race.
She said she was following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s lead after he announced his plan to resign.
Following her announcement, Anand said Canadians would have to “bear the sacrifice” of the “Team Canada” approach from the Trudeau Liberals in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
Gudie Hutchings
Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings announced that she would not seek re-election on Jan. 9, 2025.
The Liberal MP in Newfoundland and Labrador previously garnered national attention when she suggested that electing more Liberals in the Prairies would lead the Western provinces to get similar carbon tax carveouts to those in Atlantic Canada.
Churence Rogers
Liberal MP Chaurence Rogers told Radio-Canada in Dec. 2024 that he would not seek re-election.
The 71-year-old insisted that it was not because of Liberal party turmoil but so that he could spend more time in private with his wife.
He said that while he was surprised by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s resignation, he still supported the Liberals and Trudeau.
Sean Fraser
An anonymous official revealed to Global News on Dec. 16, 2024, that Housing Minister Sean Fraser would not seek re-election.
The official who was unauthorized to speak publicly said that Fraser was not seeking re-election due to family reasons.
Fraser’s team posted to X two days later, saying that they hoped to someday work alongside him again.
Fraser’s first post to X since the announcement to not seek re-election was on Jan. 21, 2025, where he supported Mark Carney in the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership election.
Brenda Shanahan
Liberal MP Brenda Shanahan announced in the House of Commons on Nov. 22 that she would not seek re-election.
At the time of her announcement, the Bloc Québécois had a 98-per-cent chance of winning her riding. The odds have since fallen to 81 per cent as of the time of publication.
Marie-Claude Bibeau
Liberal MP Marie-Claude Bibeau announced that she would not seek re-election on Oct. 17, 2024. Despite the post on X not coming until Oct. 21, 2024, True North previously wrote about Bibeau’s announcement on Oct. 17, 2024, which was made alongside three other Liberal MPs.
Bibeau previously served as the Minister of International Development, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and the Minister of National Revenue.
Instead of running federally, Bibeau had other plans.
“In 2025, I will be an independent candidate for mayor of Sherbrooke because I am ready to provide the ambitious, pragmatic and, above all, collaborative leadership that ‘my city’ greatly needs right now,” she said.
Despite announcing she would not seek re-election, Bibeau put her support behind Chrystia Freeland in the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership election.
Carla Qualtrough
Liberal MP Carla Qualtrough was one of many Liberal MPs to announce on Oct. 17, 2024, that they would not seek re-election.
Qualtrough previously served in six different ministerial roles during her three terms.
Two other Liberal MPs made a similar announcement that day.
Filomena Tassi
Liberal MP Filomena Tassi also announced in a three-page letter that she would not seek re-election on Oct. 17, 2024.
Tassi previously served in five different ministerial positions over her three terms.
“I look forward to finding new ways of serving, as my political journey nears its end,” said Tassi.
Dan Vandal
Dan Vandal was the fourth Liberal MP to announce they would not seek re-election on Oct. 17, 2024.
Vandal said it was not an easy choice, given his nearly 30 years in elected office. He held three ministerial positions during his three terms.
He thanked the prime minister, insisting that he still held his trust because of how Trudeau has emphasized reconciliation with Indigenous people.
Yves Robillard
According to the Hill Times, Liberal MP Yves Robillard announced that he would not seek re-election in Sept. 2024. The announcement made Robillard the 18th member to say the road would end with this term. However, the number to fall out of line has nearly since doubled.
René Arseneault
The Telegraph Journal reported that René Arseneault would not seek re-election on Aug. 16, 2024.
Arseneault previously made headlines for introducing a bill that would eliminate the need for MPs and senators to swear an oath of allegiance to King Charles III. The bill was ultimately defeated at its second reading.
Francis Drouin
Liberal MP Francis Drouin became the 17th Liberal MP to announce that they would not seek re-election on July 25, 2024.
Seamus O’Regan Jr
Minister of Labour and Minister for Seniors Seamus O’Regan Jr announced that he would be stepping down from both ministerial positions effective July 19, 2024.
“We live in hectic times. They’ve been hectic almost from the time we took office in 2015. Nerves are rubbed raw. But we have a choice,” said O’Regan. “This is a time to unite not divide, create not destroy, and build rather than break this great country of Canada. It is a treasure. It’s worth fighting for.”
Michael McLeod
Northwest Territories MP Michael McLeod announced on July 10, 2024, that he would not be seeking re-election.
During his resignation, McLeod requested that the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race be an open and transparent process to elect a new prime minister.
“It has been said many times that elections are designed to ensure opportunity for renewal, and renewal is the lifeblood of democracy. It is now time for me to pass the torch. It is bittersweet, but it has been an amazing journey!” he said.
Months later, McLeod put his support in Mark Carney for Canada’s next prime minister.
Ken McDonald
Liberal MP Ken McDonald told CBC at the start of July 2024 that he would not seek re-election.
He previously made the news for seemingly giving the other side of the aisle the middle finger, sneakily.
Despite announcing he would not seek re-election, McDonald gave Chrystia Freeland his support.
John McKay
A Liberal who had been a serving MP for 27 years, John McKay, told the Toronto Star that he would not seek re-election on June 20, 2024.
McKay was first elected in 1997 when Jean Chrétien was prime minister.
The 76-year-old served nine terms for the Liberals.
Pam Damoff:
Liberal MP Pam Damoff announced that she wouldn’t seek re-election in a four-page letter posted to Facebook on May 1, 2024.
“The threats of misogyny I have experienced as a Member of Parliament are such that I often fear going out in public, and that is not a sustainable or healthy way to live,” she wrote in her resignation letter.
Damoff continues to represent her riding until the next federal election.
Tony Van Bynen
Liberal MP Tony Van Bynen issued a letter on Mar. 2024, confirming that he would not seek re-election in the next federal election.
He said that after 25 years of public service, he needed to shift his focus to his family and specifically his wife.
Yvonne Jones
Liberal MP Yvonne Jones announced she would not seek re-election on Jan. 23, 2025.
She said she wasn’t stepping away due to health or family reasons, just that she felt it was time after nearly 34 years in office. She previously battled cancer twice.
True North previously reported that Jones demanded an apology from an NDP MP for questioning her Indigenous identity.
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith
Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith wrote on his substack that he would not seek re-election in the next federal election on Jan. 18, 2024.
He had previously lost in the Ontario Liberal leadership race by a slim margin.
Erskine-Smith was perhaps most well-known for using vulgar language in parliamentary proceedings.
One time in committee, he said “You can f*** right off.”
Emmanuel Dubourg
The Montreal Gazette published on Nov. 1, 2023, that Emmanuel Dubourg, a Liberal MP who has been in office longer than the prime minister, would not seek re-election.
Anthony Rota
Anthony Rota resigned as Speaker of the House of Commons a few days after he honoured a Ukraine veteran who fought for a unit of ethnic Ukrainians under Nazi command in World War II as a “hero.”
Despite his resignation as the House’s speaker, he remained a Liberal MP.
However, CTV News reported in Oct. 2023 that Rota would not seek re-election.
Omar Alghabra
Liberal MP Omar Alghabra announced that he would not seek re-election way back on July 25, 2023.
Despite announcing he would not seek re-election over a year and a half ago, Trudeau recently appointed Alghabra as Special Envoy for Syria with a focus on “inclusive governance.”
Joyce Murray
Liberal MP Joyce Murray similarly announced that this term would be her last on July 25, 2023.
“It has been a privilege to advance work in tackling climate change, nature conservation, and improving the lives of Canadians, and I look forward to continue engaging with these challenges,” said Murray.
Lloyd Longfield
Also announcing he would not seek re-election in 2023, this time in June, was Lloyd Longfield.
Ken Hardie
Ken Hardie was another Liberal MP who announced he would not seek re-election in 2023, this time in May.
He previously said he had no regrets about connecting Poilievre and the “far-right” to the Winnipeg shooting, saying “the environment that is being created by the politics that he practices, that’s what we really have to be concerned about.”
Pablo Rodriguez (honourable mention)
Pablo Rodriguez resigned from the Liberal cabinet to run for the Quebec Liberal Party.
While Rodriguez technically did not say he won’t run in the next federal election, if he wins the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race, he will be unable to, making him an honourable mention.
Helena Jaczek (honourable mention)
Another honourable mention goes to Liberal MP Helena Jaczek, who announced she wouldn’t seek re-election on July 25, 2023.
Despite this, she announced on Jan. 20, 2025, that she would run in the next federal election. She said this was because of the renewed energy brought to the party by Mark Carney, whom she endorsed. However, no stipulation was made around her election being tied to Carney winning the party leadership race.
Wayne Long (honourable mention)
Similarly, Liberal MP Wayne Long announced in March 2023 that he would not run in the next election.
He, too, changed his tune; however, unlike Jaczek, Long did say that Carney would need to win the party election for him to put his name up for re-election.
This is not an exhaustive list; it is just all of the Liberal MPs that True North is aware of. This list is subject to being updated. Please comment below if you know of any Liberal MPs who are not on this list who have said they will not seek re-election.
Rats leaving a sinking ship. Good.
Interesting. I wonder as the scenario of Pierre Trudeau appears to be nearly identical to the current situation with Justin Trudeau in that our PM won't be elected, I wonder if they had the same stampede for the exits the Liberals are having today?
These are people who have a guilty conscience racing to distance themselves from the possibility of having to own up to their participation in this corrupt government.