Yukon's Larry Bagnell not seeking federal cabinet post - Action News
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Yukon's Larry Bagnell not seeking federal cabinet post

Yukon's incoming Liberal MP, Larry Bagnell, says he's not actively pursuing a seat in Justin Trudeau's federal cabinet.

'There's lots to do being MP for the Yukon,' Bagnell says

Larry Bagnell (pictured with his family) celebrates his win on Monday night in Whitehorse. (Nancy Thomson/CBC)

Yukon's newly-elected MP has a wealth of experience in Ottawa, but Liberal Larry Bagnell says he's not looking to parlay that into a cabinet post.

"I don't have any expectations,"Bagnellsaid. "There's lots to do being MPfor the Yukon."

Bagnell trounced his competition in Monday's vote, taking 53 per cent of all ballots cast in Yukon. It was a stunning comeback after losing his seat in 2011 to Conservative Ryan Leef.

Some MPs who win their ridings so decisively anticipaterewards in government, such ascabinet portfolios.Bagnell seems to eschew that.

"We have a really huge, very talented caucus," he said. "And one of the great things about it is that Justin guaranteed that half of the cabinet would be women, which I think is great."

Michael McLeod, the newly-elected Liberal MP for the N.W.T., has said that he assumes at least oneMP from the northern territories will wind up in cabinet, and he hopes it's him. Nunavut'snew MPHunter Tootoo, also a Liberal (and a former territorial cabinet minister), has saidhe'll"wait and see". Justin Trudeauhas said he'll name his new cabinet on Nov. 4.

Bagnell was Yukon's MP from 2000 to 2011, but henever held a cabinet post.As part of the governing Liberal caucus from 2000to 2006, he served for periods as parliamentary secretary to the Natural Resources minister and the minister of Indian Affairs andNorthern Development.

As an opposition MP after the 2006 and 2008 elections, he served as his party's critic for Northern Development, Northern Affairs and Arctic Sovereignty.