EDMONTON – Edmonton Centre MP Laurie Hawn will not seek re-election in 2015.
“It was a decision that was actually not that hard to make,” he told Global News on Monday.
Hawn has been an MP since he was first elected in 2006. He was re-elected in Edmonton Centre in 2008 and 2011.
The Edmonton MP said it’s simply time to move on and spend more time with his family.
“My wife, Judy, and I will have been working for a century between us and she will have taken a back seat to my careers for 47 years. It is time that I put her and our family in the front seat. You simply can’t do this job without family support,” explained Hawn.
“My intention was to serve for eight to 10 years. In October, 2015, it’ll have been nine years and nine months.”
“Not comparing myself to the Great One, but 99 is a great Edmonton number. It’s just time,” Hawn explained.
Hawn has performed a variety of roles during his time in Parliament, including serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence and chairing the Special Parliamentary Committee on the Clean Air Act.
Hawn also served as the Canadian Co-Chair of the Canada-U.S. Permanent Joint Board on Defence, which reported to the Prime Minister on a variety of issues regarding defence and security of North America.
“I have been extremely honoured and proud to serve the people of Edmonton Centre and our Government for nearly ten years. I appreciate the confidence that the Prime Minister has shown in me and I have immensely enjoyed being part of a great team of dedicated Canadians, who have brought positive change to Canada,” said Hawn.
‘To me, on the veterans side, we offer a huge array of benefits, but as I say, we make it too difficult sometimes to access them for the folks who need them the most.”
“We need to break down those barriers, and that’s what we’re working on.”
Hawn plans to serve the remainder of his term.
“It’s been great… The opportunities to do some things, what I think – and some other people seem to think – are some pretty important things. So it’s been very satisfying.”
A 30 year Air Force veteran, Hawn cites his involvement with the Canadian Armed Forces and his visits to Afghanistan as highlights of his time in Parliament.
“Our men and women in uniform have brought great benefit to people around the world and great credit to Canada. They deserve our gratitude and support while they serve and after they retire.”
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