Federal cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez fielding ‘many requests’ to lead Quebec Liberals

A spokesperson for Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez says he is fielding “a lot of requests” to join the race to lead the Quebec Liberal Party.

But Rodriguez, the Quebec lieutenant for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has not confirmed whether he will seek the leadership of the provincial party.

Jacques Martineau, director of communications for Rodriguez, says the minister is “sincerely touched by the many requests he received” to make the leap to provincial politics.

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A source with knowledge of the Quebec Liberal leadership race says the minister is seriously considering a bid to lead the party. The source did not want to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

However, the source raised some doubts about whether Rodriguez is the right person for the job, in part because he carries the baggage of nine years in the federal Liberal government.

The Quebec Liberal Party did not immediately return a request for comment. The party will choose its new leader next June. Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre is so far the only official candidate in the race.

Rodriguez began his political career in Quebec, where he was a member of the provincial Liberals’ youth wing in the 1990s. He has been a Liberal MP from 2004 to 2011, and again since 2015.

He has been a cabinet minister since 2018, and also serves as a key adviser and spokesperson on issues related to Quebec.