Manitoba MLA Eileen Clarke, whose resignation from the cabinet sparked a torrent of criticism against Prime Minister Brian Pallister in the run-up to his announcement that he will step down, says she is relieved he is leaving office.
In a Facebook post Tuesday, Clarke said she had been "quietly waiting but by no means waiting" for Pallister's announcement the day before.
"I am not the only MLA or Manitoba cabinet minister who has been fighting, I was very aware of that even if the public was not."
She suggested her resignation as Minister of Indigenous and Northern Relations after years of frustration.
"The last two years have not been easy," says his post.
"I think about the time that has been lost moving Manitoba forward and the barriers we have faced due to conflict with so many stakeholders."
Clarke said he will not compete to replace Pallister as the leader of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party, despite the support of his supporters.
"I have to respectfully decline, as I do not have the political experience that this position requires," Clarke wrote. "It is an important responsibility and commitment."
Clarke was not at the caucus meeting Monday in Brandon, where the party holds its annual retreat, when Pallister told his party members about his decision, but he did attend a reception and dinner that same day.
"It was an uplifting evening with lots of energetic conversation and I was happy to see the more upbeat mood that was obvious in the room," her post said.
"It was a deep sense of relief for me personally."
The Agassiz member of the legislature resigned from her cabinet post after Pallister made comments that sparked a storm of criticism for downplaying the damage of colonialism in Canada.
Pallister had dodged questions about the future of his leadership for months. His announcement that he would not seek re-election in 2023 partially answered those questions, but left the exact timing of his departure unclear.
Party members must now select a new leader, hopefully one who can reverse the mobile numbers in polls that have them behind the NDP. The new leader will also replace Pallister as prime minister.
Clarke said he would support a candidate who "feels he will better serve all Manitobaans."
No progressive conservative has declared their intention to succeed Pallister as leader. A date for a leadership convention has not yet been set.
