Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard not seeking re-election
Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard not seeking re-election
(Alberta government)
The United Conservative Party MLA representing the city of Grande Prairie announced she would not run for re-election in 2023.
In a letter to constituents posted to her Facebook page Saturday afternoon, Tracy Allard revealed she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in March 2020 and would not seek to retain her legislative seat to prioritize her health and family.
While she has learned to manage the disease over the past three years and is supported by a team of health care professionals, Allard said she needed to "step away from public life."
"Not surprisingly, the management of this disease is complex, but the foundation of successful symptom management includes healthy diet, regular exercise, consistent sleep, and minimal stress," she said.
"While that is a prescription likely to achieve healthier living for anyone, it certainly does not align well with the schedule, lifestyle and demands placed on an MLA."
Allard thanked her constituency staff, volunteers, and the people of Grande Prairie for supporting her over her term.
"It has been my absolute privilege to serve you," she said. "Many times I have been humbled by the gravity of the tasks before me and there has been no greater satisfaction for me as your MLA than solving an issue for a constituent."
'MY HEALTH HAD ITS OWN PLANS'
Allard was elected in April 2019 after having been a business owner for 25 years. She and her husband have three children.
In an interview with CTV News Edmonton, Allard said she spent the last year speaking with her doctor and family before deciding not to run for re-election.
"My intention was never to just do one term," she said. "Any MLA is probably more efficient in their second term. Unfortunately, my health had its own plans."
"I really had to think through, can I got to the doors and ask people to vote for me and be honest with them that I can give them four years of 100 per cent."
She recalled how finding balance was always a difficulty throughout her term.
"I was voted the hardest working MLA in the first year of the term. While that is a tremendous honour, it really is, I know it is a little bit of an indictment against me for my lack of boundaries. I would take on more and more," Allard said.
"This disease has taught me that I need to have some balance, and it has also weighed heavily at the back of my mind knowing I want to be a grandma someday, and when that day comes, I want to be an active grandma that goes to the park, and goes to the pool and is involved with my future grandkids."
"We are still charting it and it's very nuanced," Allard said. "Civil liberties is a very big term and it talks about fundamental freedoms and it also comes with responsibility."
Allard also served on the legislative review committee and Treasury Board. She had previously served as the minister of municipal affairs but stepped down in January 2021 after her pandemic family vacation to Hawaii was uncovered, at a time when guidelines from the province and Ottawa advised against non-essential travel.
"I hope that my successor is able to work collectively with the doctors and nurses that are here, and the other allied health-care professionals to find solutions," she said.
The Alberta general election is scheduled to be held in May 2023.
Grande Prairie is approximately 456 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived on Parliament Hill saying that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "have a lot to talk about," but that it's great to be in Canada.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
The United States' first lady was given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau took Jill Biden to the curling rink.
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
Short-term rental company Airbnb says it will pull listings that don't have a proper permit from the Quebec government. The San Francisco-based company made the announcement eight days after a fatal fire destroyed an Old Montreal building that housed illegal rentals.
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
Calgary police have released photos of a man and vehicle believed to be involved in a case of road rage last month that left the victim with substantial injuries.
The Calgary Police Service confirms charges have been laid against a driver in connection with Thursday's crash of a semi-truck into the 32nd Avenue N.E. overpass along Deerfoot Trail.
An alleged victim of a former staff member of Legacy Christian Academy can now be identified after she successfully petitioned in court to have a publication ban lifted.
Many residents across Saskatchewan had a prominent view of the Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights Thursday night and Friday morning and are sharing the pictures they captured with CTV News.
A husband and wife currently travelling from British Columbia to New Brunswick are hoping Regina police will be able to track down a box containing the ashes of a loved one after it was allegedly stolen from their vehicle.
The Tim Houston PC government remains firm in their promise they'll fix the health-care system by spending more taxpayer money on health than any previous government before.
An astrophotographer from southern Ontario captured Thursday night’s display of the Aurora Borealis and has offered some tips and tricks for catching a glimpse of them yourself tonight.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow broke council’s code of conduct by criticizing two public employees on Twitter before retaliating against one of them after she filed a complaint, the city’s integrity commissioner has found.
Short-term rental company Airbnb says it will pull listings that don't have a proper permit from the Quebec government. The San Francisco-based company made the announcement eight days after a fatal fire destroyed an Old Montreal building that housed illegal rentals.
Canada and the United States are negotiating a deal that could see asylum seekers turned back at irregular border crossings across the border, including Roxham Road in Quebec.
For the first time, the owner of a building in Old Montreal has responded to questions about the fire — through his lawyer — addressing allegations that the building was unsafe.
U.S. President Joe Biden arrived on Parliament Hill saying that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "have a lot to talk about," but that it's great to be in Canada.
An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to see with the naked eye.
It might be a sign of change in the pandemic that has gripped the world for three years, as the regional COVID-19 cold and flu care clinic run by Grand River Hospital is closing its doors.
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Manitoba’s labour force is growing at a rate to supply enough workers for available positions into 2026, according to the province’s labour market outlook.
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
The City of Vancouver has asked a group of volunteers keeping vigil over a temporary residential school memorial at the Vancouver Art Gallery to remove the tribute.
The mother of a Victoria child who disappeared without a trace 32 years ago Friday says she believes her son is still alive. Michael Dunahee disappeared around 12:30 p.m. on March 24, 1991. The four-year-old boy was last seen on the playground at Blanshard School, his family a short distance away.
A first-of-its kind study in British Columbia suggests salmon hatcheries could improve survival rates by optimizing the weight of the juvenile fish and the timing of their release.
(Alberta government)
The new regional hospital will serve northern Alberta and some parts of the Northwest Territories (Source: AHS).
