Don MacIntyre is stepping away from politics.
Hi folks. Resigning from politics today to focus on our family. Thanks everyone! #AbLeg #ucp
— Don MacIntyre (@Don_MacIntyre) February 2, 2018
A statement released Friday afternoon by United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney announced the Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA resigned around noon.
MacIntyre posted a message on social media at 4 p.m. saying he is leaving politics to focus on his family.
Alex McCuaig, chief of staff for speaker of the legislative assembly Robert Wanner, said he had yet to receive an official notice of resignation as of 4:45 p.m. Friday.
“But that doesn’t mean it’s not in the process of being completed,” said McCuaig.
The UCP caucus tweeted it will not be commenting further at this time.
MacIntyre was in his first term as MLA. He was elected in 2015 as a member of the Wildrose Party and joined the UCP following the merger with the Progressive Conservative Party.
From June, 2015 to July, 2017 and then from August, 2017 to October, 2017, he served as the opposition shadow minister for electricity and renewables. He then served as the opposition’s critic for electricity and renewables.
In early 2017, MacIntyre was under fire for comments he made regarding climate change as a member of the Wildrose party. One NDP caucus member said he should be removed from his position after saying “the science isn’t settled,” when speaking to reporters about whether humans contribute to climate change.
READ MORE: MacIntyre under fire for climate comments
Prior to politics, MacIntyre was a part-time instructor and curriculum developer at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He also worked as the chief technical officer for a geothermal company between 2010 and 2012.
Earlier in the day, the UCP announce MLA Derek Fildebrandt won’t be allowed to re-join the caucus after he pleaded guilty to illegal hunting.
No further information is available at this time.
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