Attorney General Serge Rousselle won't run for re-election

Premier Brian Gallant is losing another member of his Liberal caucus just six months before he asks New Brunswickers to re-elect his government to a second mandate.

Environment and Local Government Minister Serge Rousselle confirmed Wednesday afternoon that he won't run for another term as MLA for Tracadie-Sheila.

He said his tendency to throw himself into any job he takes on led to seven-day work weeks, and he and his partner decided it was time to seek "a more balanced life."

'I am really leaving because my partner found it very hard'

7 years ago

Duration 0:56

Attorney General Serge Rousselle won't run for re-election.

"When I was a law professor, I would look at politicians who said 'I am leaving for personal reasons,' and I would basically say, 'Oh yeah, there must be something else,'" he told reporters.

"Let me tell you, I am really leaving because my partner found it very hard. We decided I gave four years, four full years, and it was time for me to do something else."

Rousselle, who is also the attorney general, was a constitutional law professor at the University of Moncton before he was elected. He is the only lawyer in the Liberal caucus other than Gallant himself.

He said it will be up to Gallant to decide if he stays in his cabinet posts between now and the election. Heis also the minister for Service New Brunswick.

No reflection on government

The minister told reporters that decision did not reflect any difference of opinion over Liberal government decisions.

"In politics, when we decide to present a policy or project, it has been discussed quite a lot. If you don't feel comfortable, you leave, and if you are comfortable, you defend it. In everything I did, I always defended my projects and always did the best I could."

Rousselle was a key figure in several of the Gallant government's most challenging files.

Agreed to closeschools

As education minister, he approved several school closures initiated by district education councils and was drawn into the debate over language duality in education.

He at first defended the dual busing system in anglophone and francophone school systems, then opted to send it to the New Brunswick Court of Appeal for a ruling on whether the two systems were required by the Constitution.

But after Chief Justice Ernest Drapeau signalled he was not convinced the court should hear the case, the province withdrew the application.

Rousselle had been shuffled out of the education portfolio by then.

As minister of environment and local government, he oversaw a reform of the legislation that sets out municipal government powers, led the province's response to fecal contamination at Parlee Beach, and introduced a bill to create a price on carbon.

Tried to fix Service New Brunswick

His federal counterpart, Catherine McKenna, said last year the New Brunswick plan may not meet Ottawa's requirements, though Rousselle has insisted it will be accepted.

He also took over as minister responsible for Service New Brunswick to help the Crown corporation repair the damage from the botched adoption of a new property assessment system last year.

But Rousselle said Wednesday the work he's proudest of is not his high-profile ministerial duties but the Mondays he spent at his riding office, helping constituents deal with provincial government departments.

"The most gratifying work in politics is when you can help the people who need help the most," he said.

Latest Liberal to bow out

Rousselle's decision means a total of six Liberal MLAs elected in 2014 won't be on the ballot when Gallant seeks a second term this fall.

Former ministers Hdard Albert, Victor Boudreau and Ed Doherty, and backbench MLA Bertrand LeBlanc will not reoffer. Former minister Donald Arseneault resigned last fall.

Each of those MLAs had served at least two terms. Rousselle is leaving politics after his first term--a term it took him four attempts to win.

He first ran provincially in 1999, when the Liberals were defeated by the Progressive Conservatives in a surprise upset. He tried again in 2006 and lost to the PC candidate, despite a provincial win for the Liberals.

Rousselle also ran in the federal election in 2004 and lost to popular incumbent YvonGodinof the NDP.

He finally won in 2014 by riding a Liberal wave in northern francophone ridings. He captured 64.6 per cent of the vote in Tracadie-Sheila to 24 per cent for incumbent PC MLA Claude Landry.

He said Wednesday that he hopes to return to the field of law. Asked if he was interested in one of the judicial vacancies in the province, Rousselle said applying to become a judge is a time-consuming process and he has not started it.