Labour minister Seamus O'Regan leaving cabinet

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan is resigning from cabinet, CBC News has learned.

O'Regan, 53, is stepping down for family reasons, sources said. The Newfoundland and Labrador MP is planning to stay on as a member of Parliament until the next federal election but won't seek re-election, the sources added.

The government is expected to announce his replacement in cabinet on Friday.

O'Regan was elected to Parliament in 2015 as the MP for St. John's South-Mount Pearl. He has been in cabinet since 2017 and has also held the natural resources, Indigenous services and veterans affairs portfolios. He took over as labour minister in 2021.

Before entering politics, O'Regan was a host of the CTV morning show and a national correspondent for the network.

O'Regan is also a longtime friend of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. O'Regan was in Trudeau's wedding party in 2005.

Trudeau and his cabinet are scheduled to meet on Friday. Sources told CBC News the meeting is expected to be quick and virtual, and focus on clearing up unfilled appointments.

The cabinet meeting is the first since the Liberals' surprising byelection loss to the Conservatives in Toronto-St. Paul's, a riding that previously had been a stronghold for the party.

More to come ...