MLA Bill Estabrooks has mixed feelings as career winds down

NDP MLA Bill Estabrooks announced last May he won’t be seeking another term. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008 and says the time has come to focus on other things.

A popular NDP MLA in Nova Scotia says he has mixed feelings as his career winds down.

“I won’t miss the partisanship of the legislature, I won’t miss the name-calling, I won’t miss some of the pettiness of politics, but I’ll miss the personal contact with my constituents,” says former Transportation Minister Bill Estabrooks.

Estabrooks announced last May he won’t be seeking another term.

He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008 and says the time has come to focus on other things.

Last night, he attended the party’s nomination meeting for the riding of Timberlea-Prospect, which he has represented since 1998.

“I’ll miss the comments about the Boston Bruins. I’ll miss the fact that people turn to you on some things that are absolutely inexplicable as to why they’d come to an MLA, you know, with personal problems and those sorts of things, and being able to help those people out,” he said.

Premier Darrell Dexter said Estabrooks will be missed in the legislature and in his riding.

“He was famous for getting out in between elections and knocking on doors, understanding that people really wanted to have someone to listen to them,” said Dexter.

Linda Moxsom-Skinner will carry the NDP flag in the riding in the next election.

Dexter said Estabrooks has pledged to help her with the transition if she wins the seat.