Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to announce a cabinet shuffle Monday, unveiling a new team that will see his government into the next election, CTV News has learned.
In the past few weeks, several veteran Conservative MPs announced their intention to step down from their posts, or not seek re-election.
Among those MPs:
- Minister of State for Finance Ted Menzies and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Diane Ablonczy have both said they will not run in the next election.
- Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield stepped down for health reasons.
- Public Safety Minister Vic Toews resigned from public life, and Sen. Marjory LeBreton stepped down from her role as government leader in the Upper Chamber.
- Environment Minister Peter Kent posted an intriguing message to his Facebook page, saying he would “enthusiastically embrace” a move to the backbench if that is where he finds himself, though he intends to run for re-election.
Recent polls show the three major political parties all within five percentage points.
A cabinet shuffle would give Harper a chance to recalibrate his government and give voters a sense of renewed purpose and direction.
With files from Andrea Janus
