Toronto MP says he feels 'disrespected' after being dropped from cabinet

Former housing minister Nate Erskine-Smith says it's "impossible not to feel disrespected" after being dropped from cabinet.

In a series of social media posts Tuesday, the member of Parliament for Beaches—East York said he ran in the recent election for the opportunity to make "an even bigger difference around the cabinet table and to help fix the housing crisis."

"Congratulations to new and old colleagues who were sworn in today," Erskine-Smith said in a post. "This moment calls for a capable team ready to get to work quickly. It's nice to see a number of colleagues receive overdue recognition and I'm hopeful we'll see a lot accomplished in the coming months."

Prime Minister Mark Carney shook up his cabinet Tuesday by moving some key players involved in Canada-U.S. relations into new positions and promoting 24 new faces in a move meant to signal change at the top.

Erskine-Smith was among 10 people Carney dropped from his cabinet.

A disappointing call

Speaking on CBC Radio's Metro Morning Wednesday, Erskine-Smith said it was tough to get the call from Carney telling him that he was out.

"Politicians are humans too, and it's impossible not to feel some disrespect that you put so much time in and that you came back for this and then it's not there anymore — but there are no guarantees in life either," he said.

The MP said he plans to stay in his role, but added that "you never know what the future holds.

"One is in this business for one reason and one reason only if they're doing it right, and that's to make the biggest difference you can. So on that basis, it's frustrating for sure."

Erskine-Smith, who was first elected in 2015, said in January 2024 that he wouldn't run again in the next federal election, but reversed course in December after he was appointed minister of housing by then-prime minister Justin Trudeau.

He said that the way things played out with the new cabinet "doesn't sit right" with him.

"But I'm mostly disappointed that my team and I won't have the chance to build on all we accomplished with only a short runway," he said in a social media post.

Other MPs dropped from cabinet

Erskine-Smith said for now he'll be "working hard" for his constituents, restarting his podcast and returning to Parliament with "a renewed sense of freedom."

Also left out of the cabinet on Tuesday were former defence minister Bill Blair, former energy minister Jonathan Wilkinson, former Treasury Board president Ginette Petitpas Taylor and former environment minister Terry Duguid.

Several MPs who were shuffled out took to social media Tuesday to express their gratitude for the opportunity to serve.

Wilkinson said serving the country in cabinet "remains one of the greatest honours" of his life.

Petitpas Taylor congratulated the members of Carney's cabinet and said in French that she was proud to serve Moncton—Dieppe and support the government in building "a better Canada for all."

Arielle Kayabaga, who served as minister of democratic institutions and leader of the government in the House of Commons in Carney's first cabinet, said she was "deeply honoured" to have had the opportunity to serve as a member of the prime minister's team.