Rizqy was considered a potential candidate for leadership of the Quebec Liberals.
QUEBEC — Saying she did everything in her power to juggle the whirlwind world of politics and two young children, St-Laurent Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy has announced she will not seek a new term in office in the 2026 general election.
“I don’t want to be a part-time mother,” an emotional Rizqy told reporters in announcing her decision. “I want to be in the same city every night to put them to bed. Right now this is not the case.
“I would have liked to have been able to combine all this (politics and family). I can’t make it.”
She revealed Kelley offered to resign to allow her to keep working, an offer she declined.
Both have to do the long trip between Montreal and the provincial capital on a weekly basis, which means leaving their children at home without a parent three nights a week. That means missed parent-teacher meetings and many other events, she said.
“I know I can disappoint some people, but I don’t want to disappoint my sons,” she said.
She said she had been thinking of leaving politics for several months, but the decision became clear when her second child was born.
She said she is leaving a life she loved, noting she is particularly proud of her efforts to get the legislature to adopt rules controlling protest movements around schools.
“I adore politics and I believe in public service, but now my decision is very clear,” Rizqy said, adding that she still marvels that a daughter of Moroccan immigrants — her mother worked as a cleaning lady on arrival in Canada — was able to get elected.
She said she doubted anything could have been done in terms of work arrangements at the legislature to ease the task of raising a family.
“I so wanted to have children, I want to raise them myself,” she said, noting every Monday was gut-wrenching because she had to board the train to Quebec City, leaving her children in Montreal.
As for her future, Rizqy noted she is currently on a leave of absence from a teaching position at the Université de Sherbrooke, a job she can return to when she wants. Rizqy is a tax expert.
Reaction to her decision was swift, with colleagues saying they are sorry to see such a promising politician moving on.
Interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay said he understands it’s a family decision, which he respects.
“My first reaction was if it happens, we’ll be losing a very, very talented, passionate, decided colleague and MNA,” Tanguay told reporters.
“I recognize that it’s (politics and family life) difficult, it means sacrifices,” added deputy-premier Geneviève Guilbault.
“It is always a fragile balance,” added Premier François Legault, who is in Paris for the summit of francophone countries. “It is for everyone. Right now she has young children. I don’t want to discourage her, but things are no easier when they become teenagers.”
Rizqy was first elected to the National Assembly in 2018 and won a second term in 2022. She had considered a run for the party leadership but decided not to run for family reasons.
She currently is the party critic for education and energy but in the past made headlines for her criticism of the way the CAQ government handled the ventilation issue in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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