MLA Stuart Jamieson leaving politics

Long-time MLA Stuart Jamieson will not run in the next election, ending speculation that he would run as an independent in his Saint John-Fundy riding.

Jamieson announced that his name will not be on a ballot in the next provincial election and that Tuesday was his final day in the legislative assembly.

Although he will not be back in assembly, Jamieson will remain as the Saint John-Fundy MLA until the Sept. 27 election.

Jamieson shocked many in the province when he left Premier Shawn Graham's cabinet in February over his insistence that the failed deal to sell many of NB Power's generation assets to Hydro-Québec be put to a referendum.

When Jamieson was invited back into the Liberal caucus after the power deal fell part, Jamieson said he wanted to be reinstated as the minister of tourism and parks. When Graham rebuffed that request, Jamieson said publicly that he might consider running as an independent in the Sept. 27 election.

Jamieson was first elected as a Liberal MLA in 1987. He held his seat until 1999 and came back into politics in 2003.