The MP for Cape Breton-Canso says he likes to keep busy by nature, but he has no plans after he steps down.
Rodger Cuzner announced he will not re-offer in the next federal election Friday.
He was first elected in 2000; he won 74 per cent of the popular vote in 2015.
Cuzner tells The Hawk members of his party have done great things since they were elected in the last federal election.
“I take a great deal of pride in some of the things we have been able to do over the course of three-and-a-half-to-four years in office,” he says. “When you look at the jobs created- over 800,000 jobs- the unemployment rate, the Canada Child Benefit boost, those things are all a benefit to people in my riding.”
Cuzner says he will help the next Liberal candidate on the campaign trail.
He says the riding of Cape Breton-Canso is a big one.
“I’ve got 54 volunteer fire departments in my riding- I take in four full provincial ridings and parts of three others,” he says. “(I have) seven municipal councils to deal with and three First Nations communities.”
Cuzner says he and his wife have been discussing this decision since the fall.
He says one thing he will miss as an MP is the people.
Cuzner says the SNC-Lavalin affair had nothing to do with his decision.
He says he’s proud of the way Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood up for workers and pensioners in the country.
