PC MPP Jeff Yurek says he’s not resigning seat over government policy

Former environment minister Jeff Yurek, who is resigning his seat in the Ontario legislature in February, tells CityNews he’s doing so “for lots of reasons” but contends disagreement with government policy was not one of them.

When asked if disagreeing with the government’s pandemic restrictions influenced his decision, Yurek said, “No I wouldn’t say that, there has been many conversations over time of various policies. I put my two cents in every time at the cabinet table when a decision was made. I was supportive of it going forward.”

“I’m not going to discuss what was said at the cabinet table. It could have gone either way on a discussion of policy depending on the situation,” Yurek said when asked if he pushed back against the idea of restrictions at the cabinet table.

“The decisions that were made at cabinet I’m fully supportive of.”

Yurek was shuffled out of cabinet in June 2021, but would not elaborate on how or why that decision was made.

“I don’t know, you’ll have to have that conversation with the Premier. I delivered what was requested of me. I brought forward ideas to make Ontario a better place for people and I worked as hard as I can. Politics is politics and people get moved around all the time.”

Yurek, who has represented the southwestern Ontario riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London provincially as a Progressive Conservative since 2011, announced his resignation on Friday.

“Today, I announce that my time in public life has run its course. I believe it time for the voters of EML to select a new voice to represent their interests at Queen’s Park. I will not be seeking re-election in June of this year as your Member of Provincial Parliament and will be resigning my seat at the end of February,” he said in a statement.

In the statement, he also said “at the cabinet table I stood strong.” When asked by CityNews to elaborate on what he meant, Yurek explained that he “stood for four rural Ontario and southwestern Ontario, the area which I represent.”

“I just made sure in all our discussions at the cabinet table, the thoughts and the effects of anything that cabinet did over the last three years reflected what would happen down in southwestern Ontario.”

Yurek is also a pharmacist and has been administering COVID-19 vaccines. Yurek Pharmacy in St. Thomas was started by his father in 1963.

“It’s just an amazing experience being one of the people that can help put an end to this pandemic by delivering vaccines. I’m proud to be part of that.”

On Twitter, Premier Doug Ford thanked Yurek “for his time and dedication in serving the people of Elgin-Middlesex-London.” However, Yurek said he has not spoken to the Premier about his decision to resign his seat.

Yurek is the latest in a string of PC MPPs who have announced they are retiring. That list includes Christina Mitas (Scarborough Centre), Amy Fee (Kitchener South-Hespeler), Norm Miller (Parry Sound-Muskoka), Jim McDonnell (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry), and Randy Pettapiece (Perth-Wellington).

A byelection won’t be called to fill Yurek’s seat in Elgin-Middlesex-London as the June 2 election is less than five months away.