Well, the workweek isn’t exactly off to a great start for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The country’s Minister of Housing Sean Fraser officially announced that he will leave the federal cabinet in its next shuffle and will not seek re-election in his Nova Scotia riding to spend time with his family. He said he advised Trudeau of the move earlier this fall.
In a touching statement that personalized the politician, Fraser went into detail about his family’s challenges – everything from difficulties in creating a family and the death of his one-day-old daughter, to recent health crises experienced by other members of his family. It was raw and undoubtedly relatable for many. He also shared his joy associated with his young children, offering a candid picture of his home life.
Federal Minister of Housing Sean Fraser.
(Sean Fraser, Twitter)
He expressed a desire to spend more time with his family. “I want meals with dad to be part of the family's routine as the rule, not just the exception when he's home from Ottawa," said Fraser. "I want to be able to make my wife coffee in the morning before she wakes up and -- if we get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour -- maybe even enjoy a glass of wine over a conversation in the evening. Through the most difficult and joyful personal experiences imaginable, I've become acutely aware of the finite nature of the time we have with the people we love. You blink, and you miss it. So, I'm going to spend a little more time with the people I care about most."
Fraser was named Housing Minister in a cabinet shuffle in July 2023, have been first elected as the member of parliament for Central Nova in 2015. Before his role as Housing Minister, he previously served as Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister. Prior to politics, the Nova Scotia native worked as a commercial litigation lawyer.
Fraser’s official announcement came just minutes after his colleague, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, announced she would resign from Trudeau’s government. It also comes at a time when the country's relentless housing crisis carries on, with no real end in sight.
Tellingly, both announcements came hours before the federal government is set to deliver its fall economic statement.
