Longtime cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez will be sitting as an Independent MP after stepping down as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s transport minister and Quebec Lieutenant, CTV News has learned.

The Quebec Liberals have been without a leader since Dominique Anglade resigned following her defeat in the 2022 provincial election.

Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez is expected to resign from cabinet in order to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec, CBC News and Radio-Canada sources say.He is expected to make a statement about his cabinet resignation on Thursday in Gatineau,

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is tapping Treasury Board President Anita Anand to take on additional duties as Canada's minister of transport.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez is expected to announce his resignation from the Liberal cabinet on Thursday to enter the Quebec Liberal leadership race — another blow to the struggling governing party reeling this week from a loss in a Montreal by-election.

Federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez will announce on Thursday he will seek the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. The news, first reported by La Presse, was confirmed to the Presse Canadienne by a federal Liberal source not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.