Alexander volunteered the information to BuzzFeed Canada Wednesday evening at the Adrienne Clarkson Prize for Global Citizenship gala in Toronto.

"You're going to be hearing from me soon, I'm going to be running for leadership," he said.

In response to a comment about the leadership race being a crowded field, Alexander said "yeah, but it's an uninspiring one."

He was later asked for more details but said he did not want to comment officially until the paperwork is signed.

As citizenship minister, Alexander was the face of the Stephen Harper government's fight to ban Muslim women from wearing the niqab at citizenship ceremonies.