Embittered at dysfunction in Ottawa, MP Keith Martin bids farewell to public life
Keith Martin laughs as he says it: B次元官网网址淚 need a job.B次元官网网址�
After more than 17 years and countless battles in Parliament as a rebellious MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Martin has packed up his Ottawa office and is trying to remember how to assemble a resum茅.
The 51-year-old former doctor announced in November he would bow out of politics due to the B次元官网网址渢oxic atmosphere of rabid partisanshipB次元官网网址� that killed meaningful debate in Ottawa. His political trajectory has been towards an exit ever since the rise of Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Conservative leader.
B次元官网网址淭he barometer of success is really helping people with their lives and providing value to taxpayers, not by slinging mud,B次元官网网址� Martin says, the frustration evident. B次元官网网址淧arliament has ground to a halt itB次元官网网址檚 so dysfunctional.B次元官网网址�
March 24 was his final day in the House of Commons, the day before the government fell to non-confidence vote. Martin was in New York City meeting with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Environmental Defense Network, laying the groundwork for future projects, during the final vote.
Martin admits his last day in the House of Commons was bittersweet B次元官网网址� the past two decades has been a ceaseless effort to push private member bills to highlight causes linked to human rights, health care, poverty reduction, humanitarian assistance and the Canadian armed forces.
B次元官网网址淚 knew it was my last time in Parliament. It was a melancholy moment, a sad moment,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 such a beautiful building and there are such great people on Parliament Hill.B次元官网网址�
Prompted from his time volunteering in a field hospital during the Mozambique civil war, Martin first proposed banning land mines in the mid-1990s. The Candian government under the Liberals would later push though the Ottawa Treaty.
Socially liberal and an independent at heart, Martin championed harm reduction strategies as seen at InSite in Vancouver and tried to decriminalize marijuana. He worked with colleagues across the aisle to set out a timetable to bring troops home from Afghanistan, without abandoning the country. He was also vocal for the need of health care reform, daring to suggest private medical providers be allowed to co-exist alongside the public system.
One of his proudest moments was creating the International Conservation Caucus, a bipartisan committee aiming to stem habitat and biodiversity loss. Akin to that, he created the International Conservation Forum, Canada Aid and Canadian Physicians Overseas Program to promote international health and environmentalism initiatives.
MartinB次元官网网址檚 Langford-based executive assistant Jeff Silvester said emails from his boss would arrive late into the night. B次元官网网址淗e worked incredibly long hours,B次元官网网址� Silvester says. B次元官网网址淎s a constituent it felt good to see that my representative worked so hard.B次元官网网址�
For Silvester, his proudest moments came when Martin put the defence minister on the hot seat after Ottawa moved to mothball navy ships at CFB Esquimalt, and when Martin tried to amend the Human Rights Act after a loophole allowed for the abuse of freedom of speech.
B次元官网网址淭here are so many stories. He was passionate and able to make a big difference to peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives around here,B次元官网网址� Silvester says. B次元官网网址淗e made it easy to go in early and to work late.B次元官网网址�
MartinB次元官网网址檚 influence was felt across the expansive riding, from CFB Esquimalt to Port Renfrew. Sooke Mayor Janet Evans said Martin helped secure federal funding for its sewage treatment project, a B次元官网网址渢urning point for the community.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲ith sewers came a new hotel, new development. It was a real catalyst,B次元官网网址� Evans says. B次元官网网址淗e was a good advocate.B次元官网网址�
Martin was first elected in 1993 as an MP for the Reform Party, which folded into the Canadian Alliance and then into the Conservative Party in 2003.
He crossed the floor in January 2004 to sit as an independent after clashing with HarperB次元官网网址檚 leadership style, which Martin says favoured strict obedience to party lines rather than B次元官网网址渧oting with oneB次元官网网址檚 conscience.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t was hard. I lost a lot of friends and separated from a group that IB次元官网网址檇 been with a long time,B次元官网网址� Martin says. B次元官网网址淏ut I left with no regrets. Mr. Harper and I would have locked horns quickly. It was either I leave or get thrown out.B次元官网网址�
He turned to the Liberal Party due to doubts over the NDPB次元官网网址檚 ability to muster a viable economic plan. The switch didnB次元官网网址檛 bother constituents B次元官网网址� he was re-elected as a Liberal in Esquimalt-JDF three times, albeit by a razor-thin margin in 2008.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about voting for the individual not the party,B次元官网网址� says Bob Saunders, a Colwood business owner and MartinB次元官网网址檚 long time friend who encouraged the one-time emergency room physician to try his hand at politics.
B次元官网网址淗e has done so much for the community, so much for the county. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big loss to Canada.B次元官网网址�
MartinB次元官网网址檚 friends and colleagues say he never lost the pulse of the community despite working constantly on global issues. As the writ dropped in Ottawa, Martin was helping a Victoria non-profit organize a medical aid shipment to flood victims in Pakistan.
B次元官网网址淗e helped armed forces members get a pay raise, he helped them when they returned from Afghanistan,B次元官网网址� Saunders says. B次元官网网址淲hoever comes in his place, theyB次元官网网址檝e got big shoes to fill.B次元官网网址�
Martin hopes to blend environmental conservation and health care reform into some kind of employment, perhaps working as a consultant or at a university. HeB次元官网网址檚 unsure if heB次元官网网址檒l stay living in Victoria, but heB次元官网网址檚 certain heB次元官网网址檒l get more accomplished as a private citizen than a Canadian parliamentarian.
B次元官网网址淚 have to go where I can to get a job. Very shortly I will be unemployed,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 do very well being idle.B次元官网网址�
Despite the frustrations of recent years in Ottawa, Martin says itB次元官网网址檚 been gratifying help people and communities across Esquimalt-JDF.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 grateful to the people of the riding. ItB次元官网网址檚 a privilege to serve them and IB次元官网网址檓 grateful IB次元官网网址檝e had the honour.B次元官网网址�
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
