Vandal, left, on the set of APTN's Nation to Nation with Fraser Needham. Photo: APTN.
Dan Vandal says he won’t be seeking re-election in the next federal election and is working with the prime minister’s office “to ensure an orderly transition of my Cabinet positions.”
Vandal (Saint Boniface—Saint Vital) was voted to the House of Commons to represent a Winnipeg riding in 2015 when the Liberals took majority control of the House from the Conservatives.
“Thank you to the Prime Minister,” Vandal said in a statement issued Thursday. “I fully support your continued leadership as Prime Minister. You have enabled our government to deliver for Indigenous Peoples as we walk the shared path towards reconciliation, which is unmatched in Canadian history.”
Vandal said it was a “very difficult decision” to step away after being a politician “for very close to 30 years, when I was voted in as (Winnipeg) city councillor in 1995 for St. Boniface.
“However, it is time to move on to the next stage of my life after many years of representing Winnipeggers.”
Vandal is the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Northern Affairs.
He’s one of several Liberal cabinet ministers who have announced they won’t run for re-election.
Under Vandal, the long-awaited devolution agreement was signed with Nunavut giving Nunavummiut control of their land and resources.
“Devolution represents the largest land transfer in Canadian history,” Vandal said in his statement. “It means decisions about land and fresh water will be made by Nunavummiut. It will also mean many more jobs filled by Nunavummiut.”
Vandal didn’t say what would come next.
“The Nation to Nation, government to government relationship, which has produced co-developed legislation and investments in Indigenous-led child welfare, languages, and UNDRIP has set a standard that future governments will be pressured to match,” he added.
“I look forward to completing my term as MP and delivering for my constituents until the next election.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to make changes to his cabinet for the third time since July after the latest group of ministers informed the Prime Minister’s Office they won’t be candidates in the next election.
Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, said Thursday she won’t be running for personal reasons.
Sports Minister Carla Qualtrough also issued statements to say they won’t be seeking re-election.
Qualtrough offered few details except to say that it is time for her to move on and she is excited to see what comes next. She also thanked her family and the prime minister.
There is no date set for the shuffle but the source said it won’t be before all Liberal caucus members are expected to meet on Parliament Hill on Oct. 23
That meeting that could be quite tense as several Liberal MPs are expected to push Trudeau to resign.
At least 18 Liberals have now publicly confirmed they won’t be on the next ballot.
However two cabinet ministers, including Vandal, who announced their plans not to run again say they still stand by Trudeau.
“I wish him the very best now and in the future. I believed in him in 2015 and I believe in him now,” Tassi said in a statement on social media.
Winnipeg South Centre Liberal MP Ben Carr said Vandal’s decision is understandable but he will be missed.
“Any time that a distinguished, hard working, highly regarded parliamentarian like Dan Vandal decides it’s time to step away it’s a huge loss,” Carr said.
