Min. Judy Foote takes leave of absence ‘for personal and family reasons’

Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote is taking a leave of absence from her job, the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Thursday afternoon.

In a statement, the prime minister said Foote’s leave was temporary.

“She will be away until further notice for personal and family reasons,” Justin Trudeau wrote.

“As Parliamentarians, our family should always be our priority, and I commend her for taking the time to be with her loved ones. We look forward to having her back in Ottawa.”

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Foote’s department has been struggling to deal with a meltdown of the new Phoenix pay system, but there is absolutely no indication that the minister’s leave is linked to those issues.

WATCH: Executive pay in department responsible for Phoenix raises eyebrows

2:07 Feds reward executives behind failed Phoenix pay system with $4.8M in bonuses

Deputy minister Marie Lemay has been the public face of the efforts to fix Phoenix for months.

Foote will be replaced temporarily by Jim Carr, who will serve as acting minister of public services and procurement, in addition to being minister of natural resources.