Former Ford government minister caught up in Greenbelt scandal won’t seek re-election

Mississauga East-Cooksville MPP Kaleed Rasheed, one of the first cabinet ministers who resigned after getting caught up in the Ford government’s Greenbelt scandal, says he will not seek re-election in the next Ontario election.

Rasheed was Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery of Ontario when questions arose about a 2019 trip he took to Las Vegas at the same time as a developer who benefited when land from the Greenbelt was swapped out.

After first denying he was in Las Vegas at the same time as developer Shakir Rehmatullah, reports eventually surfaced that showed Rasheed, Rehmatullah and Ford’s principal secretary all booked massages for the same time.

Rasheed then made the “incredibly difficult” decision last September to resign, saying he did not want to distract from the government’s work.

Premier Doug Ford left the door open for Rasheed to return to his caucus if he managed to clear his name with the integrity commissioner.

Rasheed has been sitting as an independent ever since.

“This decision, though not made lightly, has been made with a profound sense of gratitude,” he said in a statement posted to social media on Friday.

Rasheed said through his role as Minister he was able to fulfill his grandfather’s “Canadian dream of giving back to this great nation” while thanking Ford for the opportunity to “contribute meaningfully to our province.”

Rasheed did not say what he plans to do after leaving office, saying only he plans to serve out the remainder of his term as MPP for Mississauga East-Cooksville.