With cabinet shuffle on horizon, MacKay says he has no plans to leave political stage

OTTAWA – Defence Minister Peter MacKay says he has no plans to leave the political stage.

A federal cabinet shuffle is expected in the coming weeks and there has been speculation floating around Ottawa that MacKay is planning a jump to a lucrative private-sector job.

But he says he feels he can still contribute to public service and would like to keep doing so.

Rumours of MacKay leaving politics have surfaced before, but he says he is happy being defence minister and has had no discussions with Prime Minister Harper about switching portfolios.

MacKay has been dogged by controversies, not the least of which was the allegation that he used a search-and-rescue helicopter to airlift him on a vacation three years ago.

MacKay was a key player in the founding of the current Conservative party — a merger of the old Progressive Conservatives, which he led, and the Canadian Alliance, which Harper led.

MacKay was Harper’s foreign minister for a year until he was moved to defence in 2007.

The Globe and Mail reports the cabinet shuffle will likely come during the second week of July, with ministers being told to stay close to Ottawa during that time.

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