Phillips stepping down
By Lethbridge Herald on June 10, 2024.
Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Shannon Phillips, MLA for Lethbridge West announces her departure from her role to members of the media Monday at the Galt Museum and Archives.Alexandra Pulido-Guzman
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
MLA for Lethbridge-West Shannon Phillips announced Monday she will be stepping down from her role effective July 1 and said her decision came as a result of a number of factors.
“They are in brief, a desire to step away from public life in this current capacity and a desire to pursue other opportunities,” said Phillips during her public announcement.
She said now is the right time for the party and for her personally. She said she wants to spend more time with her children who are now teenagers.
“My children have grown up in politics, they were four and six when I was elected to government and they are now teenagers with their own loud opinions about politics and my place in them,” said Phillips. “My mother and Mike have kept my family together pitching in time and time and time again.”
She added that the leadership race has shown her how strong the party is at the moment across the province and right here in Lethbridge.
“I believe that Lethbridge is home to, without any hyperbole, the finest NDP political organization in the country and I would venture a guess that our local organization is among the hardest working, smartest and most determined in Canada of any party,” said Phillips.
She said there is no doubt in her mind that Lethbridge NDPs can stand up to whatever gets thrown their way.
“There will be plenty of time to discuss the reasons for my departure and I’m sure there will be many questions which I will endeavour to answer,” said Phillips.
She said there is no question that sometimes a public life has had its ups and downs and she has faced her share of challenges, but when it appeared to be the right time to leave based on the strength of the party and the confidence that Lethbridge was in a good position within the party, she took the opportunity to leave.
Phillips added that her departure from public office will allow her to take on other opportunities.
“I am exploring opportunities in the private sector, also looking at ways that I can give back to the community through teaching, and maybe a little bit of writing. I’ll have more to say about all of that in the coming months,” said Phillips.
One thing she made very clear is the fact that she is “not going anywhere” in terms of her political affiliations.
“I’ve always been a New Democrat and I always will be,” said Phillips.
While making the announcement Phillips said it was very important for her to thank the many people that helped her along the way, the first one being Rachel Notley.
“I owe so much to Rachel Notley, she ran a government that was bold, unapologetic and ambitious. I was given the gift of her confidence that I could accomplish some very hard things,” said Phillips.
Phillips was first elected to the Alberta Legislature in 2015 and while on her role as the Minister of Environment and Parks accomplished many things, but some of her most notable accomplishments include the Alberta’s coal phase-out policy, which in turn kick-started a renewables boom in the province and modernized Alberta’s electricity system, her involvement in the expansion and protection of Alberta’s parks, including the creation of the largest boreal protected area in the world, and the expansion of Castle Park.
When talking about her election in 2015 and her career since, she said it has taken hundreds of people’s support but she gave a special shout out to two people in particular, Brian Mason and Lisa Lambert.
“I do want to take time to thank Brian Mason, for when he was the leader of the Alberta’s NDP for believing in us when it was a bit of a long shot,” said Phillips.
She said Prairie crocuses are also a long shot in the depths of February darkness and yet they do emerge.
“We figured between 2012 and 2015 based on lots of rudimentary data analysis and some maps that we could pull this off and in 2015 we did it by a landslide due in no small part to the work that Lisa Lambert put into it and her efforts over the next four years,” said Phillips.
22-21
Methinks that there will be a street named after Shannon Philips in some future “Legacy Ridge”. Thank you for your meaningful and numerous contributions for our environment and Albertans Shannon. No need to wish you success in your future endeavours; that is a given.
Hear, hear!
THANK YOU! (For resigning)
https://youtu.be/pTdihu-mp90?si=mK7Gf7dPjQmu_TmD
Classy, HaroldP.
Yes HaroldP, I concur! The NDP cost our downtown business tens of thousands in lost revenues and securing our property after the forcefully opened the Supervised Drug Consumption Site. Downtown has never recovered! They failed to recognize harm reduction policies only enable and encourage addicts.
She will not let the LPS story die as well! Mistakes were made and the officers were punished. The process was served, although the civil suit against LPS ( the Lethbridge taxpayer ) continues.
Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!
This:
“Why Canadian Politics Is Still Unsafe For Female Politicians”
http://www.chatelaine.com/longforms/female-politicians-canada-safety/
Read on what Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner has to say about this. Would a female Conservative politician carry more credibility on this topic?
Well from all the crap you naysayers throw at Rachel Thomas, Shannon may have a point.