Ontario cabinet minister Caroline Mulroney has announced that she will resign from both Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet and her seat in the provincial legislature, effective June 5.

Mulroney, who was first elected in 2018 as part of the Progressive Conservative government, has held several senior roles over her political career, including attorney general, minister of transportation, minister responsible for francophone affairs, and most recently president of the Treasury Board.

In a public letter released on Monday, she explained that her decision comes after significant personal reflection, including the passing of her father, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, two years ago, and the fact that she and her husband are now empty nesters.She stated that these life changes led her to feel it was the right time to step away from public office and begin a new chapter in her life.

Premier Doug Ford praised Mulroney’s leadership, describing her as a steady and calm presence within the government and noting that she had made meaningful contributions, including work on major infrastructure and transit funding agreements.Ford also confirmed that Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will serve as interim president of the Treasury Board following her departure.

Mulroney’s resignation will trigger a byelection in her riding of York–Simcoe, while another pending vacancy in Scarborough Southwest will also require a byelection to be called by the end of the summer.

In her farewell remarks, Mulroney reflected on her years in office, particularly her long tenure in francophone affairs, and expressed that while she is uncertain about the saying that politics is the best possible life, she will deeply miss her colleagues and the work she has done over the past eight years.