Liberal MP Ken McDonald says he won’t run again

OTTAWA – Liberal MP Ken McDonald, who opposed his party over the federal carbon price, says he won’t run in the next federal election.

McDonald has represented the riding of Avalon in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2015, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals won a majority government.

He told local radio station VOCM he made the decision because the job requires him to be away from home and his grandchildren.

McDonald said he informed Trudeau he wouldn’t be running again in mid-June.

That would be prior to a byelection that saw the Liberals lose a Toronto stronghold to the Conservatives, leading to increased speculation about whether Trudeau should step down.

McDonald publicly called for a leadership review in January, but later walked those comments back.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2024.