Another member of Alberta’s NDP government says he won’t be seeking re-election this spring.
Eric Rosendahl, MLA for West Yellowhead, announced on Sunday that as he approaches his 70th year, it’s best for him and his family that he spend “less time in Edmonton” and focus his energy “closer to home.”
He joins about a dozen New Democratic MLAs who’ve said they won’t run in the upcoming provincial election, which must happen by the end of May.
READ MORE: Premier Notley says NDP MLA denies ordering staffer to break rules on political work
In January, Rosendahl was accused by former staffer Kathleen Westergaard of directing her to do party work on government time, then firing her after she refused.
“At the beginning Eric expected me do all this stuff. He demanded that I set up his riding association, recruit all the people, set up all the political events as well as doing my job inside the office,” said Westergaard.
“Then one day he walked in last spring and he said, ‘Well, we’re going to change your hours. From now on you’re going to work nothing but evenings and weekends and you’re going to spend all your time focusing on getting me re-elected.’”
Rosendahl denied the allegations.
“I’m not really going to comment on personnel matters,” he said in January.
READ MORE: NDP’s Eric Rosendahl wins West Yellowhead riding
Rosendahl was elected West Yellowhead MLA after defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent Robin Campbell in the 2015 election.
— With files from Global News