While his name has become synonymous with the north, he confirmed to CBC on Saturday that he would not be running for the seat again, saying he wants to hone in on his family and his business.
“It’s a position that takes a lot of energy and a lot of time when you want to do a good job,” St. Pierre said, who will now be spending more time concentrating on Dene Driving, a driving school he owns with his wife.
St. Pierre was first elected in 2016 after defeating incumbent Kevin Janvier by 143 votes in a race that saw hundreds of people cast their ballots in hopes of shaping the future of the northern village.
St. Pierre ready for a rest
This summer St. Pierre was one of the key leaders in combating an outbreak of COVID-19 — the most serious of any Indigenous community in Canada — in the Northern Village of La Loche and the nearby Clearwater River Dene Nation.
Over three months, 282 people in the village and First Nation would test positive for the disease, accounting for about seven per cent of the population.
When asked what he plans to do with his time moving forward, his answer was simple.
“I hope to get some rest and enjoy family,” said St. Pierre. “Because at the end of the day, we want to take care of our loved ones.”
Robert St. Pierre has been mayor of the northern village of La Loche since 2016. Looking back, he said he’s pleased with the work he’s done as mayor, saying he hopes he was able to showcase the community in a positive light. (Submitted by Kalvin Jones)
A life-long resident of La Loche, St. Pierre’s successful bid for mayor four years ago focused on community involvement and a more open and transparent approach to government.
St. Pierre says the decision involved a lot of “pros and cons” but said at the end of the day, he feels he’s made the right decision and his family supports it as well. However, he says some in the community have expressed sadness about the fact he’s not running.
“Some people are disappointed. Some are OK and some just understand what it entails, and understand why I’m doing what I’m doing,” he said. “When you provide that context, people understand a little better.”
St. Pierre said when the decision was finalized, it brought with it some relief.
“It is a very demanding and high-profile position being the mayor of a community such as La Loche and it weighs a lot on you,” he said. “And as soon as I made that decision, it was like a weight lifted.”
St. Pierre respected on both sides of Legislature
St. Pierre is recognized by both the Saskatchewan Party and the Saskatchewan NDP as a strong voice for those in Northern Saskatchewan.
In a statement, Sask. Party leader Scott Moe wished St. Pierre the best in his future endeavours.
“Mayor Robert St. Pierre has been a tireless representative for the people of La Loche,” said Moe. “His leadership in the aftermath of the La Loche tragedy and in working with his community and the provincial government when La Loche was faced with high rates of COVID-19 transmission is a true testament to his character.”
Ryan Meili, leader of the NDP opposition, spoke with St. Pierre about his decision to leave politics on Saturday.
He said while he understands its the right choice for St. Pierre and his family, he noted there’s always some disappointment when a person who’s been doing great work as an elected official returns to private life, especially considering how instrumental St. Pierre was in supporting La Loche in the years after the school shooting and this summer’s COVID-19 outbreak.
La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre speaking to reporters in 2018. St. Pierre said he appreciated that a sentencing decision for the La Loche school shooter took place in La Loche itself, giving community members a chance to attend. (CBC News)
“He’s really been put to the test as the mayor of a small community and I think he rose to the occasion in a remarkable way,” said Meili, noting not only was St. Pierre a politician, but a champion for his community.
“It’s really important to have someone who is that booster of their community, as well as someone who fights to address the challenges.”
St. Pierre, while not running, says he’ll be watching the mayoral race closely, offering some advice for those seeking out the position in the future.
“You’re pursuing a position that is kind of thankless to a lot of individuals, and there will be a lot of critics,” he said. “But hold your head high and do the best that you can with the information you’re provided, and you will have support along the way if you’re doing the right thing for the people.”
Residents in La Loche — and across Saskatchewan — are set to go to the polls on Nov. 9 to decide the future of their municipal leadership.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
