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For nowThe question remains: Is she leaving poltics for good, or just this government? You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Ontario PC MPP Caroline Mulroney introduces federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre at an event in Toronto on Wednesday April 2, 2025. Photo by Jack Boland/Postmedia/FileCaroline Mulroney announced her resignation from Doug Ford’s cabinet, and as a member of provincial Parliament, on Monday, but she didn’t exactly slam the door shut on a potential return to politics.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorShe didn’t just leave it slightly ajar, either. The former Ontario PC leadership aspirant, and daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney, left that door wide open and rattling on its hinges.In a brief scrum with reporters at Queen’s Park, Mulroney echoed something that she wrote in a letter to her constituents, that she was “stepping away” from politics in order to, surprise, spend more time with her family.This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againBut, asked if she was considering a move into federal politics, the 51-year-old didn’t dismiss the idea.“I’m definitely ready to step away from elected politics for now,” she said.There were several variations on that statement, each with the little qualifier at the end.Was she ruling out a return to politics?“I’m ruling out any step into elected politics for the next few years,” she said.So that means a return is possible?“I think I’ve been definitely clear that I want to step back from elected life right now,” Mulroney said.These lines were delivered with the forced smile of someone who is definitely looking forward to not having to answer these kinds of questions for a while.But they will do little to tamper the speculation that Mulroney’s exit from the provincial legislature today — or technically in two weeks, when the spring sitting ends — is merely a setup for a bigger second political act down the road.There are reasonable explanations for such speculation. In Ottawa, the federal Conservatives continue to lag in the polls behind the resurgent Liberals, while Pierre Poilivere’s pivot toward a more conciliatory tone lasted about as long as it has taken to write this sentence. He’s back into his combative comfort zone, and while there is no evidence of an organized effort to remove him anytime soon, if he was ever going to face a challenge from someone who wanted to take the Conservatives back into the more moderate mindset of the Mulroney years, a literal Mulroney would be a good start.It is also true that if Mulroney harbours plans to eventually run to succeed Ford as leader of the Ontario PCs, there’s a cold logic to getting out now, as his eight-year-old government is dealing with an economy barracked by the uncertainty of trade relationships with the United States, and more than a few self-inflicted controversies.Over the last few weeks, Mulroney has been frequently, and angrily, questioned by opposition MPPs about the aborted purchase of a $28.9-million private jet for the premier’s travels. (As the president of the Treasury Board, Mulroney would have had to sign off on buying the used Challenger jet, which was quickly sold back to Bombardier after public blowback.) She’s deftly avoided saying much about the airplane at all, and certainly made no attempt to justify the expense.Stepping back from the Ford government as a whole would allow her to stay out of the picture as the PCs enter what is usually a difficult time for any incumbent government, when they have been in power long enough to have grown stale. She could then, in theory, return as something of an outsider candidate if Ford decides against seeking a fourth consecutive election win. Put another way, if things get worse for the PCs between now and 2029, Mulroney would serve as a reminder of when things were good.Not that anyone was saying such things on the record on Monday. The premier, speaking at an event in downtown Toronto about the new Ontario Science Centre, said that when Mulroney came to his home on Sunday to tell him about her plans to resign, they wondered how “the media was going to spin” her announcement, and he pushed back on a suggestion that it was bad news for his government.Ford said he “thought the world of her,” and that he was lucky that Mulroney ran for re-election last year.Mulroney said she was proud of her work alongside Ford, and mentioned him specifically in her resignation letter, with a little joke about his difficulty in learning French.“Thank you for your trust, your friendship, and your unwavering commitment to this province,” she wrote. “And keep working on your French. I know you can do it!”It is not the kind of thing you say about someone if you are secretly planning a putsch, but strange things can happen.Mulroney’s reasons for her departure are, she says, personal. Her father died two years ago and her four children are now grown and out of the family home, leaving her and her husband, Andrew Lapham, “empty-nesters,” she said.“These are the kinds of moments that clarify what matters. Together, they have led me to the conclusion that now is the right time to step back from elected life and begin a new chapter, one I am genuinely excited about.”Step back from elected life, for now, anyway. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.