Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Progressive Conservative MPP Bill Walker says spending more time with family is the main reason he decided to not seek re-election in June.
Walker released a statement on Friday announcing his decision.
In a follow up interview with Walker, he says while it has been an honour and humbling privilege being the MPP for the area, he wants to spend more time with his family and do more things he seeks to do in his career.
“It’s been almost 11 years, it is an all consuming thing. Every night and every weekend you are pretty much out here doing the job the way it should be done and over that time you miss a lot of things with family, with friends and it really just time for me, I have had a great run, I am still young enough I think I can pursue some other opportunities I want to do with my life and it just made sense to me, that you know I am in government, we have accomplished a lot and now it is time for me to go and try some other things,” says Walker.
Walker says he is very proud of the things they were able to accomplish including bringing money back to the riding, which he says will hopefully positively impact many people for years to come.
He says would like more freedom to do what he would like to do than what is expected of him in the role.
“At the end of the day there is a lot of events and there are a lot of things you need. I pride myself on I made myself avilable every hour of the day virtually and that means you miss a lot of family things. When people expect you to be out on a Friday night or a Tuesday or Sunday, I was there, I tried as much to be at as many events as I could and now I am at the point where I want to be able to do some of my things, my family things,” says Walker.
Walker says while he doesn’t have any immediate plans after he has finished his role as MPP, there are pathways and experiences he would like to try. Walker will continue his role until the end of his term.
Meanwhile, the Ontario PC Party quickly appointed Rick Byers as its candidate in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound — shutting the door on a local race and a vote among party members for the Tory nomination.
Byers has served as President of the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative and Progressive Conservative Association. He was Walker’s campaign manager in the 2018 provincial election.
In 2019, Byers was among those who put his name forward in a bid for the federal Conservative nomination in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound after Larry Miller’s retirement. That was won by now MP Alex Ruff.
