Yukon MP Larry Bagnell says federal Natural Resources Minister John Efford made a 'personal decision' in temporarily stepping away from his portfolio.

Efford has been suffering from health issues attached to his longstanding diabetes and has missed meetings and other engagements to undergo treatment.

John McCallum, the federal Revenue Minister, will take over Efford's portfolio in the interim.

'Your body can only do so much. It's a pretty grinding schedule being an MP, let alone a minister,' Bagnell said today from Ottawa. He serves as the parliamentary secretary for the Minister of Natural Resources.

Conservative MP John Duncan called for Prime Minister Paul Martin to shuffle Efford out of the cabinet after he missed a meeting of the provincial energy ministers last week.

Bagnell said he was unaware of such calls and was not involved in Efford's decision to take a leave from cabinet.

Efford will keep his seat in the House of Commons as the representative for Avalon in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He will also be present in Ottawa for key votes and other duties as his health permits.

He has stated he intends to come back to his natural resources portfolio if he is able to get his diabetes to a point where he is able to take on the responsibility again. The change of hands will not be an official cabinet shuffle that will see McCallum sworn in as the new minister.

Efford is not expected to run again in the next federal election.

Bagnell said Efford has not yet been back in Ottawa where the House of Commons began sitting again on Monday.