This week I announced that, after more than 22 years serving as the MLA for the Steinbach Constituency, I will not seek re-election in the next provincial election. This was an extremely difficult decision for my family and I to make because we have loved serving the constituency and the amazing people that call it home. But I also am aware that it is time for someone new to bring their own energy and ideas to the Manitoba Legislature representing the region.
Time is an interesting thing. When I think of the many people I have been fortunate to serve with since being elected it definitely feels like 22 years. And yet, it also feels like just yesterday that my wife Kim and I walked into the Steinbach Arts Council building on the night of June 3, 2003 to celebrate our first election win. On that night, we could hardly believe the honour that we had been given by the residents of Hanover, Niverville and Steinbach and we have felt that way everyday since.
Since that summer day in June 2003, I have been able to serve in almost all the roles the Legislature has to offer. I started before elected life as an intern at the Manitoba Legislature in 1995 and worked in the government of Gary Filmon for a few years after. I feel incredibly humbled to have worked with Premier Filmon and his wife Janice and am privileged to call them friends today.
After 2003 when in the Official Opposition, PC Leader Stuart Murray and then Hugh McFadyen appointed me House Leader and Deputy Leader of the PC Party. After 2016, Brian Pallister and then Heather Stefanson asked me to serve in the roles of Government House Leader, Minister of Health and Seniors; Minister of Education, Training and Immigration; Minister of Legislative and Public Affairs; Minister of Justice and Attorney General and Deputy Premier. And in what will always be a special honour, my colleagues asked me in the fall of 2021, in a very difficult time in Manitoba, to serve as the 23rd Premier of Manitoba.
Yet for all of those experiences, I only ever ran for one job, and that was to be the MLA for the Steinbach Constituency. It is no exaggeration to say that over those years my wife and I, and later our son Malachi, were greeted with thousands of words of encouragement and offers of prayers. If there is a better place to hold public office I can’t think of where that would be.
And together we were able to accomplish many things. Early in my time as Minister of Health we announced new PCH beds for Rest Haven Personal Care Home and began work on getting dialysis services to Steinbach. As Minister of Education, I was honoured to announce a new elementary school for Steinbach, open the new Niverville High School, provide support for a new Niverville Recreation Centre and expand both schools in Mitchell. As Deputy Premier we announced funding for what would become the Southeast Events Centre and during my time as Premier the expanded Bethesda Hospital and operating rooms were announced (and will soon be completed) along with the now completed redevelopment of the intersection of Highway #12 and Loewen Boulevard.
During my time at the Manitoba Legislature, I have been blessed to work with amazing political staff and civil servants. I have been especially fortunate to have superior local staff who supported me at the Steinbach Constituency Office. And throughout elected life, so many volunteers were always willing to help lend a hand when it was needed.
And most importantly, God blessed me with the perfect wife and son for this calling. Elected life has many ups and it has many downs as well. Family often experiences the downs more significantly than the ups. I could not have done this job without my wife Kim and son Malachi.
I am grateful to God for the opportunities I have had in my life. After my father died when I was only 11, my mother went about the difficult work of being a single mother for a number of years. Yet God had a plan that I could not see and I know the grace that I have had in my life is because of Him.
While this is the turning of a page, the chapter is not quite done. I look forward to serving the residents of the Steinbach Constituency until the next election and working to help the next PC Candidate for the constituency win election.
But for today, I want to say with a heart filled with gratitude and on behalf of my family, thank you for every prayer and supportive comment you have offered. Each one meant a great deal.
