- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor

Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Larry Miller announced this morning that he will not be running in this October's federal election.

After 28 years in politics – 15 of them at the federal level and 13 municipally – and ten elections, he had six reasons for making the decision.

Five of them were family; his wife Darlene whom he thanked for her “unwavering support and patience”, and his four grandchildren, with whom he says he wants to spend much more time. Wiping back tears, Miller described how he had had to wait to hold his first grandchild, Chesney, when she was born because he was away on government business. He also spoke of the pain, late last year, of knowing that his siblings were all gathered at home after the death of his father while he spent “the longest night of my life” in a Vancouver hotel. 

The other main reason he is retiring, Miller said, is that he has “lost the fire in my belly.” He compared his time in politics to when he played fastball and broomball. “I played hard and I hit hard, and some people don't like that. I make no apologies”, but he said he knew when it was time to step away.

Miller, who has never been in cabinet but has been in both government and opposition, said his biggest regret would be not being there to help his party regain government “before Canada is destroyed.” He said that the hardest thing he has ever had to do “is sit in Ottawa see and listen first-hand the mess that’s just ongoing.” He returned to his broomball hits in referring to the current Prime Minister. “I knew Pierre Trudeau, and I respected him. I have zero respect for Justin Trudeau”, he said, adding that the Prime Minister had made Canada "alaughing stock internationally".

When asked about some of his statements that have received negative attention in the past, Miller said he considered political correctness a “threat to democracy”. He said he may regret how he worded some things, but the content was simply what most people were thinking.  I am not opposed to immigration", he said. Immigrants are important to Canada, he said, but the handling of immigration that lets people jump the queue while immigrants to our riding may wait as long as 66 months to get through the process is not right.

When asked about his proudest accomplishments, Miller spoke of bringing federal funding to the Julie McArthur Recreation Centre, in which the announcement was made. He acknowledged that the project was not “shovel ready” ten years ago when he announced the funding, but credited Tom Rice and Gail Graham of the Y, along with the Owen Sound and County councils of the day, with working together to get it built.

Miller sees himself foremost as a “constituency man”, always remembering the people who sent him to Ottawa, and thanked his long-standing staff members in Owen Sound for “never being afraid to work” and keeping their sense of humour. On a more political level, he thanked his Ottawa staff and the local Conservative executives over the years.

Miller was acclaimed as the Conservative candidate over a year ago and he says he expects there will be a race to replace him as the candidate - “the more the better” in his opinion. One person has already stepped up.

President of the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative Association, Rick Byers, said that it was now up to the national party to open the nomination process. When they do, likely in the next few weeks, local members will have 42 to 54 days to submit their nominations, go through a vetting process, and sign up members. There are currently about 400 local members, but that is expected to double or triple or more over the nomination period according to Byers. Miller says he'll offer advice to anyone interested enough to ask, but will not be involved in the nomination race itself.

“When it comes to the campaign though, I'll be doing everything I can and working 125% to elect another Conservative in this riding,” he said.

In a media release later in the day MPP Bill Walker congratulated Miller for his long-time public service and said he was proud to have worked alongside him. “On a personal note,” he said, “I would like to say thank you to Larry for his friendship, and especially for the collegiality, support and guidance he provided during our elected tenures."