Mendicino to leave job as PM Carney’s chief of staff

CTV News' political commentator on former MP Marco Mendicino leaving his job as Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chief of staff and his future in politics.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chief of staff Marco Mendicino will soon be leaving his position in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), according to a statement released Thursday.

“As we prepare for the Throne Speech, I have asked Mr. Mendicino to stay into the summer in order to support the launch of the government’s mandate in Parliament and to lead the transition of the PMO on my behalf. I am grateful that he has agreed to do so,” Carney wrote.

The former prominent Toronto MP and public safety minister under the Justin Trudeau government was appointed to serve in the key position – at least for the transition period – after Carney won the Liberal leadership and assumed the role of prime minister in March.

Carney is calling Mendicino’s support during this time as “vital.”

Following his appointment as interim chief of staff, the opposition called out the move, with the NDP criticizing his staunch pro-Israel support and the Conservatives zeroing in on Mendicino’s past tenure in the Trudeau government.

“He’s the guy forced to resign,” Poilievre said in a social media post back in March.

In a statement, Business Council of Canada President Goldy Hyder said Mendicino took on the role at “an inflection point in Canadian politics” and was “always available to stakeholders and genuinely open to hearing different perspectives - traits I hope his successor adopts.”

Will Mendicino run to become mayor of Toronto?

Several sources close to Mendicino have confirmed to CTV News that he is seriously considering a bid to run for mayor of Toronto.

Back in January – months prior to this year’s federal election – Mendicino had announced he would not be seeking re-election in the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, which he represented since 2015.

In his resignation statement at the time, Mendicino indicated that he had been approached by Toronto residents and community leaders who feel he “should continue to play an active leadership role in our city,” and that he welcomes hearing from more people about how to do that.

Sharan Kaur, the former deputy chief of staff to former finance minister Bill Morneau, told CTV News “there’s definitely momentum building behind Marco Mendicino” to run for mayor.

“There’s a growing sense among organizers that the next mayoral race has to be different. Last time, the vote was split, and it handed Olivia Chow the win,” Kaur said. “If there’s any hope of beating her, the field needs to consolidate early around a single, viable candidate.”

Toronto’s next general municipal election is set for October 2026.

Mendicino’s foray into federal politics drew headlines from the start.

He faced off for the Liberal nomination in the downtown Toronto riding against Eve Adams, who had crossed the floor from the Conservatives and was backed for the nomination by former Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau before he became the prime minister.

Mendicino went on to win the nomination and defeated then-finance minister Joe Oliver in the 2015 election.

After his 2019 re-election, Mendicino became immigration minister, and then public safety minister in 2021. Under the latter portfolio, Mendicino oversaw significant legislation and faced multiple controversies.

Mendicino was public safety minister when the government invoked the Emergencies Act during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests, as well as when serial killer Paul Bernado was transferred to a medium-security facility in the spring of 2023, which set off a political firestorm for the federal government. Trudeau dropped him from cabinet that summer and replaced him with Dominic Leblanc.