Ottawa-Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna has decided not to seek re-election.

Her unexpected decision opened up some major political real estate. If he decides to run for the Liberal Party in the next election, this could become a springboard for the former central bank governor of Canada, Mark Carney.

Since McKenna wrestled with the New Democratic Party in 2015, it has been held in the center of Ottawa, which is a riding stable that includes Capitol Hill.

Carney did not promise to stand for election, but promised during his political debut at the Liberal Party’s virtual conference in April that he would do his best to support the party.

McKenna will hold a press conference on Monday to announce that she has decided to abdicate in the next election, but the Canadian News Agency obtained an advance copy of her speech on Sunday.

The speech wrote: “Eight years ago, when I entered politics, I made two simple promises to myself: always fight for my faith, and leave when I did what I had to do when I entered politics. .”

She said she wanted to spend more time with her three children and devote her professional energy to the fight against climate change.

“Like many Canadians, having lived through COVID-19 in a long year, made me take a step back and reflect on what is most important to me. These are two things: my children and climate change.”

McKenna notified Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of her decision on Sunday. She has offered to continue as Minister of Infrastructure until elections are held.

All parties have expressed that they do not want to participate in the polls during the pandemic, but as Trudeau seems increasingly prepared to pull out his minority government this summer, everyone is enthusiastically preparing to vote.

As Trudeau’s environment minister, McKenna insisted on implementing the Liberal government’s National Climate Change Action Plan during his first term, which included a price on carbon emissions.

The carbon price-or “taxation” as the Conservative Party called it-was strongly opposed by the provincial governments of Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan, who challenged its constitutionality in court. The Supreme Court ruled in March that it was constitutional.

McKenna became a lightning rod against the climate plan, endured misogynistic slander and threats on social media, and graffiti in her constituency office. Last summer, after someone yelled at a McKenna staff member, the police were asked to investigate and the video was posted on social media.

In a speech announced on Monday, McKenna specifically mentioned young girls who are considering whether politics is suitable for them.

“Do it. When you do, don’t be afraid to run like a girl. I’ll be there to cheer for you,” she said.

“Entering politics is to do something, never to be something. There are a lot of dislikes about this business, but you can have a greater impact on the lives of more people than anywhere else.”

Trudeau transferred McKenna to an infrastructure position after the 2019 election. Among other things, this move made her responsible for funding green projects designed to help Canada achieve its emission reduction targets.

But McKenna seems to have missed being at the core of the fight against climate change.

“In the most important decade, this is a critical year for climate action, which will determine whether we can save the only planet we have,” she said in explaining her decision not to seek re-election.

“I want to use my working time to help make sure we do it.”

Carney could not be immediately reached for comment on Sunday. For at least 10 years, his name has been known as a potential Liberal Party leader.

In 2012, although Carney was the governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney quietly proposed the idea of ??leading the election. After the 2011 election, the Liberal Party desperately sought a new savior.

But after someone criticized that even the smallest partisanship would undermine the independence vital to the governor of the central bank, Carney finally quelled this speculation, saying that he would soon become a “circus clown.” Soon thereafter, he left Canada and took over the Bank of England.

He returned to Canada last summer and published a book earlier this year promoting his vision for a new type of capitalism that combines the pursuit of profit with social goals. He is currently the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Financial Issues.

At the Liberal Party conference in April, Carney finally publicly declared his allegiance to the party, but let the Liberal Party guess whether he would really run for an elected office.

“For me, humility means acknowledging my great fortune in growing up and the service responsibilities that come with it,” he said at the conference.

“That’s why I will do my best to support the Liberal Party in its efforts to build a better future for Canadians.”

The Canadian Press report was first published on June 27, 2021.