Close X
Monday, November 18, 2024
ADVT 
National

NDP MPs Charlie Angus, Carol Hughes, Rachel Blaney opt against seeking re-election

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 04 Apr, 2024 10:34 AM
  • NDP MPs Charlie Angus, Carol Hughes, Rachel Blaney opt against seeking re-election

NDP MPs Carol Hughes and Rachel Blaney have joined Charlie Angus in deciding that they won't run again in the next federal election.

The federal New Democrats delivered the news in a joint announcement, saying all three want more family time after years of dedicated public service.

Angus, a 20-year veteran of Parliament Hill, confirmed his own plans to leave politics earlier Thursday, saying it's time to pass the baton. 

"One political era is ending, and another begins," he said in a statement on Facebook. 

New federal boundary changes also played a role in their decisions. 

Angus's northern Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay is set to expand, a change Angus says will demand new energy to build relationships with constituents in so many communities.

Hughes, a longtime deputy Speaker who also represents northern Ontario, will see her riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing disappear entirely in the next federal election. 

"I look forward to helping elect that next generation of progressive MPs, but it’s time for me to start planning on spending more time with my family," Hughes said in a statement. 

Blaney, who serves as party whip, said it's time for her to also focus on her family and stay closer to home, describing it as "an incredibly difficult decision to step away from politics."

"It’s been an honour to serve British Columbians over the past nine years, and I’ll continue to fight for them until the next election," she said.

In a statement, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh thanked all three for their years of advocacy and their contributions to the party.

Nearly a quarter of the NDP's caucus have announced they are set to step down, or have done so already. 

Longtime British Columbia MPs Randall Garrison and Richard Cannings have already announced they don't plan to run again. Winnipeg MP Daniel Blaikie quit his seat to work with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew. 

Despite policy gains through a political pact with the minority Liberal government, the NDP has so far struggled to translate its efforts to establish national pharmacare and dental care plans into public support.

The Conservatives, meanwhile, are eyeing NDP seats in British Columbia and northern Ontario by campaigning on affordability and opposing the federal price on pollution, arguing it is driving up the cost of goods for Canadians. 

MORE National ARTICLES

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash
Police in Abbotsford say a 35-year-old pedestrian died late last night after being hit by a vehicle. The death came just hours after an unrelated head-on crash involving two vehicles in the southwest corner of Abbotsford, leaving both drivers -- a 49-year-old man and 29-year-old woman -- with potentially life-threatening injuries.

Pedestrian dies in Abbotsford crash

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District has issued the "all clear" to residents affected by the Ross Moore Lake fire which was sparked by lightning nine weeks ago and scorched nearly 114 square kilometres before being held. The B.C. Wildfire Service says an area restriction order covering travel through the fire zone remains in effect until at least Friday.

Weeks of worry ease as alerts lift for two B.C. wildfires outside Kamloops, Lillooet

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show
The documents obtained by the B.C. office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives show a registered professional engineer found numerous problems in 2018 with dikes protecting the community in the province's southern Interior.  Dike maintenance is a municipal responsibility but with provincial oversight.

B.C. aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild
Canadians can expect a "fickle fall" this year as the season is forecast to start off chilly before above normal temperatures lead the country into winter, a prominent forecaster predicts. The Weather Network says winter may appear to taunt Canadians across the country as they face periods of very cold weather during the fall, but the season is expected to end on a mild note because a jet stream in the Pacific Ocean, called El Niño, is expected to be two degrees warmer than usual.

Weather Network forecasts 'fickle fall' in Canada with season to start cold, end mild

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests
Just over one year after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a new poll suggests a growing number of Canadians believe it’s time to reconsider the country’s ties to the monarchy. Data released Wednesday by Leger indicates that 63 per cent of respondents said it was time to rethink ties — a seven point increase from March. About 81 per cent of respondents said they didn’t feel attached to the monarchy, compared to 14 per cent who said they did, results similar to six months ago.

Increasing number of Canadians want to reconsider ties to monarchy, survey suggests

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus
Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser says the Liberal government is set to announce unprecedented measures to help with the lack of affordable homes in Canada. He said the measures will start with an announcement Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make in London, Ont., Wednesday afternoon before meeting with most of his party's 158 MPs.

Fraser pledges unprecedented housing measures as Trudeau meets Liberal caucus