It was a tough decision for Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr, but he knows it was the right one.
Last week, Cyr announced he wouldn’t be running in the scheduled 2019 election for the Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul riding.
“Whenever you get into politics, it’s a big commitment for both you and your family. I have two young daughters, and every time I go into this, I go in with the knowledge that this profession takes time away from my family,” Cyr said.
Cyr’s daughters Amelia and Charolette are eight and 12-years-old, a time in their lives he refuses to miss out on.
“This was a hard decision, but I think whenever you have your family and work, you need to make those decisions and you need to do so carefully,” he added.
Cyr was elected MLA for the Bonnyville-Cold Lake riding in 2015 under the Wildrose Party. He has carried the Conservative Party message over the years, and said his plan is to continue to do so until the end of his term.
Now that Elections Alberta holds the reins for the provincial party elections, they request all potential MLAs submit their intent to run early-on.
“We were all told we needed to tell Elections Alberta that we were entering into the nomination races, even though we may not at that time have decided if we are running or not,” Cyr explained.
This was so MLAs wouldn’t be disqualified for spending money during a nomination season without properly declaring it.
“I think that’s reasonable, so after some thought, prayer, and discussions with my wife, I decided that at this time, I’m not looking to run. Who knows what will happen in the future, but running for the United Conservative Party (UCP) is not something I’m prepared to do at this time,” noted Cyr.
As someone who has always been passionate about the Lakeland, Cyr admits this decision didn’t come lightly.
He strived to make the voice of his constituents heard in the legislature.
“For me, making sure the conservative voice for Bonnyville-Cold Lake was heard, I think I’ve done a great job of that over the last three years,” he said.
Since being elected, he has taken strides in improving the status of Hwy. 28.
Cyr explained, “If you’ve driven Hwy. 28, you see the result of a lot of work that I had pressed for.”
But that’s not the only difference he has made in his riding.
The approval of the Bonnyville-Cold Lake Reigonal Waterline was a satisfying moment for Cyr.
“Right now, Bonnyville needs a clean water source. I think that’s reasonable. The Minister of Transportation was receptive of that idea and moved that forward. That’s a project that hasn’t moved an inch until I got into office. That’s something I take a lot of pride in,” he detailed.
On a more provincial level, Cyr reflects on the creation of Bill 202. The Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Images Act protects victims of private photo or video sharing.
This, Cyr believes, is one of his greatest accomplishments, as he was the only MLA to ever pass legislation under the Wildrose banner through the Legislature.
Although the next election is scheduled for 2019, Cyr is concerned that date could be postponed.
“The big question here though, is with a majority government, the NDP could technically push it back another year. They have to have it within five years, which is why I’m saying it’s a fixed election date and is something they should be honouring,” expressed Cyr.
Planning ahead, Cyr will be spending his last year or so as MLA fighting for the Bonnyville and Cold Lake hospitals.
“They’re in need of extra work. This is something I will continue to press for. I think we also need to continue pressing that Hwy. 28, while it’s come a long ways, we still need passing lanes between Bonnyville and Redwater,” he said. “Making sure I advocate for pipelines is another big one.”
Cyr continued, “I’m looking forward to seeing Alberta move forward. This is an exciting time for Alberta. I think we can say that this is a time of renewal.”
