Catherine McKenna will be back in Hamilton — but not as mayor
Just in case you wondered, no, Hamilton-born Catherine McKenna will not run for mayor in her hometown after leaving federal politics.
Absolutely 100 per cent no interest in running for mayor," said the soon-to-be-retired Liberal cabinet minister, who has fielded regular inquiries about her future since announcing her planned political exit last week. I will always love Hamilton and I'll follow the mayoral race - but I'm not in it."
Ditto for the mayoral race in Ottawa, the city where she now lives with her family. Also a hard no to the idea of a provincial run early next year.
It makes me laugh," she said of the non-stop questions. It's as if people don't realize that, you know, politicians can leave politics. But I did things before (politics) and I will do things afterwards."
McKenna, who has stickhandled the high-profile environment and infrastructure portfolios for the federal Liberals since being elected in 2015, said she is looking for more family time - and ways to contribute to the climate change fight outside of electoral politics. I want to spend more time with them," said the mother of three teens. I owe it to them, and they grow up fast."
The outspoken politician has been a major target for threats and misogynistic abuse online, but don't expect her to shut down her social media accounts post-politics. The haters are not going get me down," said McKenna, who plans to write about women in politics. I've still got things to say ... Stay tuned."
You'll also have to stay tuned to find out what's next on the career path of the lawyer-turned-politician, who has also founded a charity since graduating St. Mary Catholic high school and going on to earn degrees in Toronto, the London School of Economics and law school in Montreal.
While she won't be back as mayor in 2022, McKenna didn't rule out moving back to her hometown some day. Never say never. I just told my parents they can never sell their house because I just like coming back here."
The questions about a future role in Hamilton were inevitable for a 49-year-old who is so obviously proud of her roots.
When McKenna posted a photo of herself on Twitter sporting a Hamilton is Home" T-shirt last week, it spurred about 1,000 replies - several asking for a mayoral run in 2022.
During a May announcement about light rail transit for the city, the infrastructure minister became emotional talking about her hometown and family members who live in the city.
Those include mom and dad, Pat and John McKenna, who still live in the southwest part of Hamilton.
McKenna spent last weekend with family in the area and squeezed in a cold, wavy 1.5-kilometre swim along Hamilton's Lake Ontario shoreline. The former competitive swimmer said Hamilton's changing waterfront is part of what makes her proud of her work in government, pointing out climate change flood protection along the lakeshore and the completion of the trapping of historical Randle Reef pollution, a project that needed both Tory and Liberal support over the years.
She ranks setting a price on carbon pollution - and the successful court battle that required - as her proudest accomplishment, although the then-environment minister also weathered serious criticism around the same time for her government's decision to approve the expansion and purchase of the controversial Trans Mountain oil pipeline.
Another big win in her mind is the latest resurrection of Hamilton's never-ending, still-debated LRT project. - despite criticism from anti-LRT councillors and friendly fire from her own Liberal colleague, MP and former mayor Bob Bratina, who has said he will quit the party over what he derisively labelled McKenna's pet project."
So far, McKenna has not returned fire. The Hamilton she loves is a place where there's always lots of debate," she said. The reality is climate change is real and we need to tackle emissions from transportation ... Great transit is in great cities."
Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com