Indo-Canadian Cabinet minister Arif Virani not to contest Federal polls this year

That brings the total of current Cabinet ministers not seeking to return to the House of Commons to six since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated his intent to resign once his successor was selected by the ruling Liberal Party

Toronto: Two more Canadian Cabinet Ministers, including Indo-Canadian Arif Virani, have announced they will not contest the Federal elections to be held this year.

Indo-Canadian Cabinet Minister Arif Virani, who announced on Monday that he will not contest the Federal election this year. (Credit: Arif Virani/X)

The announcements from Minister of Justice and Attorney General Virani and Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng came on Monday.

That brings the total of current Cabinet ministers not seeking to return to the House of Commons to six since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated his intent to resign once his successor was selected by the ruling Liberal Party. Trudeau’s announcement was made a little over a month ago, on January 6, and his successor and the next Prime Minister is scheduled to be chosen on March 9.

Virani, who has represented the riding (constituency) of Parkdale-High Park in Toronto since 2015, said, in a statement, “I have spoken to the Prime Minister and informed him that I will not be seeking re-election in 2025. I say this with a heavy heart, and after considerable soul searching for the past several weeks.”

Ng, the MP from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) riding of Markham-Thornhill, also issued a statement in which she said she had informed Trudeau of her decision.

With Virani’s announcement, the number of current Indo-Canadian Cabinet ministers who will not contest the 2025 elections is now at three. On January 11, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand has said she was not only not contesting the Liberal Party leadership race, but she was also opting out of the Federal polls, which are scheduled for October but could be held earlier.

Eleven days later, her colleague, Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan also stated he was not going to contest.

That leaves just two of the five Indo-Canadians in the Cabinet, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Kamal Khera and Minister of Democratic Institutions Ruby Sahota, remaining in the race, so far.