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Secret Trudeau ally to leave post as Quebec lieutenant, says paper

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's lieutenant in Quebec will quickly quit his post, La Presse paper said on Wednesday, two days after the ruling Liberals lost a safe Parliamentary seat in the province.

Pablo Rodriguez, who is also transportation minister, intends to announce on Thursday that he is running to lead the provincial Liberal party in Quebec, the paper mentioned sources as stating. He has been Quebec lieutenant since late 2019.

Quebec, the 2nd most populous of the 10 provinces, is vital to the fortunes of the Liberals, who trail terribly in viewpoint surveys ahead of a federal election that must be held by completion of October 2025.

The Liberals, who hold 34 of the province's 78 seats in the 338-seat Home of Commons, narrowly lost a safe Montreal seat on Monday, putting more pressure on Trudeau.

A representative for Rodriguez was not immediately readily available for comment.

Polls reveal Quebec's center-right provincial CAQ federal government trailing the separatist Parti Quebecois, which is assuring to hold a referendum on breaking away from Canada if it wins the next election, which should be held by early October 2026.

The Liberals are in third place. Local celebration authorities state they are positive that as citizens tire of the CAQ, they will switch to the Liberals instead of vote for separatists.

(source: Reuters)