MacKay says he will not run in next federal election
Peter MacKay will not be running in the next federal election in Canada.
Despite hopes from the Conservative Central Nova Riding Association that MacKay might run, he said he’s decided not to.
“So much of life and especially politics is timing,” MacKay said.
And right now is just not the right timing for him.
MacKay recently lost the leadership race for the Conservative Party of Canada to Erin O’Toole.
“The decision to run for leadership was a big decision,” MacKay told The News. “Obviously it took a lot of time and energy and resources. I’m regrouping, and I think staying in the private sector as I’ve been for the past five years is the best decision for my family right now. That’s the No. 1 calculus, the No. 1 concern.”
MacKay recently moved back to New Glasgow from Toronto and he said he hopes to stay in the community. MacKay says in some ways he feels like he never really left. He’s kept his home in New Glagow and said his three kids love it in Pictou County.
As for what his future employment looks like, that’s still up in the air.
“I’m in some discussion right now with law firms and a couple other business,” he said.
MacKay said he will still do whatever he can to help the Conservative Party as they look at ways to win the next federal election.
MacKay said he personally is a big proponent of the Energy East pipeline and hopes that it remains a priority for the government.
While he’s sorry to disappoint local Conservatives who hoped he’d run, MacKay said he is thankful for the support they showed him during his leadership run. About 92 per cent of party members in Central Nova cast their ballot in support of him.
“I was very, very grateful and very humbled,” he said.
MacKay was MP for the region between 1997 and 2015. For a decade he was a senior member of the Harper Cabinet, serving as Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of National Defence, Minister responsible for ACOA and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He then stepped away from politics for several years and worked as a partner with the law firm Baker McKenzie. In January 2020, he announced that he would be entering the Conservative leadership race to replace Andrew Scheer. While considered the front runner for much of the race, MacKay was ultimately defeated by O'Toole.
O'Toole issued a statement thanking MacKay for his contributions to the Conservative Party and Canada saying that "Peter has played a major role in Canadian politics."
"In our call earlier today, Peter and I pledged to do everything possible to ensure our party remains united and strong," O'Toole said. "Peter’s devotion to the Conservative Party, which he co-founded, is strong and I am grateful for his support as we work together to win the next election."
Central Nova is currently held by Liberal MP Sean Fraser who won the seat in 2015 after MacKay stepped away from politics.
Ryan Sharpe, president of the Conservative Central Nova Riding Association said they’re sad to hear that MacKay won’t be running, but he certainly respects MacKay’s decision.
He said the association is actively accepting candidate nomination now in Central Nova and has a Candidate Nomination Committee in place to oversee the candidate nomination process.
“That committee will meet to begin the work of identifying and recruiting potential candidates who represent the diversity of all Central Nova residents,” Sharpe said. “This is a grassroots process run by community members who live in Central Nova and aim to attract the best local candidate. Central Nova is filled with people who love this community and want to make it even better and we will have a competitive candidate in the next election.”