MacAulay bows out of coming election

Glacier FarmMedia — Lawrence MacAulay, the federal agriculture minister, won’t be running in the next election.

MacAulay made the announcement March 1 in a statement he shared on social media.

“With a heavy heart, but no regrets, I have decided that I will not be a candidate in the next federal election,” he wrote.

MacAulay, who represents the eastern Prince Edward Island riding of Cardigan, is the longest-serving member of Parliament in the island’s history.

He was first elected in 1988, and has held the office for more than 36 years, through 11 elections and six prime ministers.

MacAulay first joined cabinet in 1997 in the Chretien government, as labour minister. He also served as solicitor general, and was first appointed to the agriculture portfolio in 2015 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He held that post until 2019, when he moved to veteran’s affairs, and returned to agriculture for a second posting during a 2023 cabinet shuffle.

MacAulay indicated he’d been considering retiring from public office for some time to spend more time with his family.