FALL RIVER: Darrell Samson will not be seeking re-election when the federal election is called.
The Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook MP made the announcement on his social media channels on Tuesday afternoon.
In the statement he said the decision came after great consideration.
“It has been an honour and privilege to represent my constituents over the last ten years,” said Samson, who grew up in Cape Breton.
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Samson said he is proud of everything he accomplished here at home to support communities across our riding.
“From major projects like the Sackville-Bedford-Burnside Connector, to upgrading some of our local community centres and canoe clubs,” he said, “we have strengthened our communities and brought people together in meaningful ways.”
He said from 2019 to 2024, he had the privilege of serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.
“During this time, I deepened my understanding of Canada’s military history and worked to support our veterans by raising awareness of groups like the No. 2 Construction Battalion and securing spaces at Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Hospital for both Allied Forces veterans and Canadian veterans who served after the Korean War,” he said in the statement.
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More recently, he has served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development and the Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
In that role he has helped secure funding for organizations making a meaningful impact in the Atlantic provinces, including for the thirteen Canadian Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) of Nova Scotia, the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island, and Universite Sainte-Anne.
He said he wanted to thank his wife, Faye, and his children, Chantal, Janelle, and Joel, for their patience and unwavering support over the past 10 years.
“Since being elected in 2015, I’ve had the joy of becoming a grandfather to six incredible grandchildren – Maille, Lucas, Loic, Emma, Alex and Stella,” said Samson.
“I’m ready to take the next step towards spending more time with them.
He also wanted to thank his staff, past and present, for their hard work and dedication, the volunteers who have come out to support him in his campaigns, and friends and colleagues in the National Liberal Caucus.
“I often recall how during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, MPs came together virtually over 67 consecutive nights, working together to find solutions for the evolving public health crisis,” he said.
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He also wanted to thank the constituents of Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook for their trust over the past 10 years as their MP.
“I have always appreciated receiving feedback from my constituents, and using it to better represent you in Parliament,” said Samson.
“I always say that while the government can come together to carve out money to invest in projects, it is the hard-working Canadians on the ground that are making a real difference in our communities.
“I believe that as Canadians, our spirit of compassion for each other is what continues to make us so strong and united, and I believe it will continue to do so for many generations to come.”
