Jody Wilson-Raybould, currently Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and former justice minister has resigned from cabinet.

Her letter to the Prime Minister stated, “With a heavy heart I am writing to tender my resignation as the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.”  

“When I sought federal elected office, it was with the goal of implementing a positive and progressive vision of change on behalf of all Canadians and a different way of doing politics,” she continued.

Her resignation comes amid allegations that the Prime Minister’s Office pressured her to help Quebec-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution.

In her resignation letter, she said she has retained the services of lawyer Thomas Cromwell, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, to advise her on “topics that I am legally permitted to discuss on this matter.”

Wilson-Raybould, plans to stay on as MP for Vancouver-Granville.