Veteran Liberal MP Wayne Easter won't seek re-election in long-held P.E.I. riding
Veteran Liberal MP Wayne Easter has decided not to run for a 10th term in Parliament.
The one-time cabinet minister says he won't seek re-election in the Prince Edward Island riding of Malpeque, which he's represented uninterrupted for almost 28 years.
Easter, 71, made the announcement in the House of Commons on Monday.
Although all parties profess not to want an election while the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Easter notes that rumours of a summer election abound.
On the "off-chance" the rumours are true, Easter says he chose to announce his decision now in order to give prospective Liberal candidates time to come forward and compete for the right to carry the party banner in Malpeque during the next election.
Easter carried the rural riding in 2019 with 41 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Greens with 26.5 per cent and the Conservatives with 25.6 per cent.
Easter served as solicitor general in Jean Chretien's government and is currently chair of the influential House of Commons finance committee.
He's been known for speaking bluntly and sometimes critically of his own party. Most recently, he's been championing a swift reopening of the Canada-U.S. border.
"It is close to 28 years since I was first elected to this chamber," Easter told the Commons on Monday.
"It's been my honour to work with and serve the residents of Malpeque for nine terms."
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, one of the fiercest critics of the Liberal government's budgetary policies, tweeted his reaction to Easter's announcement.
"The last Liberal MP with a functioning calculator calls it quits," Poilievre said, adding that Easter had presided over many of his favourite moments at finance committee.
"A happy retirement to you, Wayne."
In a statement Monday evening, P.E.I. Premier Dennis King thanked Easter for his 28 years of service as an MP, noting that Easter has been King's local MP for the last 17 years.
King, who is a Progressive Conservative, noted Easter has been "a friend and ally to our government since 2019" and has worked collaboratively for the best interest of everyone in the province.
"As a political observer, I've watched Wayne since his first election in 1993 represent our province with dignity, respect, and integrity while ensuring the voices of Islanders were always heard in our nation's capital," King said in the statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.