After three decades in public service, Ontario PC MPP and Speaker Ted Arnott will not be seeking re-election.
“To everything, there is a season,” he said in a statement on social media Tuesday.
“After many conversations with my family in recent weeks, I have decided that I will not be a candidate in the provincial riding of Wellington—Halton Hills when that election is called.”
Arnott was first elected in 1990 and is considered the longest-serving member of the Ontario Legislature. Since then, he has held a number of critic roles, from transit to small business, labour and tourism.
He was also elected speaker in 2018 under the Doug Ford government.
In 2022, at least 20 MPPs in Ford’s caucus chose to re-elect Arnott as Speaker despite the premier publicly saying that PC MPP Nina Tangri was his preference. The NDP put his name forward for the non-partisan role that year.
The vote reportedly irked the premier, leading to a cancellation of international trips and the denial of question period absence requests.
Arnott is popular in his riding. In the last provincial election, he won with a whopping 50.6 per cent of the vote.
This year was particularly challenging for Arnott, who faced significant criticism for banning the keffiyeh at Queen’s Park amid tensions in the Middle East. The ban caused friction across party lines, with the premier, as well as opposition leaders Marit Stiles and Bonnie Crombie, all calling for a reversal of the policy.
At the time, Arnott said there was a “long-standing” policy about wearing political symbols in the House.
“It’s extremely politically sensitive, obviously, but procedurally, I believe I made the right decision in the sense of past rulings of Speakers and precedents and traditions,” he told reporters in April.
In his statement, he thanked his co-workers, as well as those who volunteered during his nine electoral campaigns.
“I have had the chance to work with many dedicated and passionate Members of Provincial Parliament on both sides of the House, some of whom became close friends. I want to thank them for the work all MPPs do to collectively provide for the leadership of the province.”
Arnott says he will remain MP and fulfil his responsibilities as Speaker until the next provincial election, which the premier has confirmed won’t be in 2024.
—With files from Charlie Pinkerton
