another liberal retires .... choices, choices, choices ... :

Choice could have been different: McGuire
March 7, 2007 CBC News

Veteran P.E.I. MP Joe McGuire, who announced his retirement from federal politics this week, says a different Liberal leader may have meant a different decision for him.

"That's possible, but that is not the reality. The reality is Mr. Dion won. Mr. Ignatieff came second," said McGuire in an interview with CBC Television Wednesday.

"The fact that Michael lost is not the reason I'm leaving. I don't know. I can't say what, if he was the leader, what I would do."

McGuire has represented the people of Egmont for 19 years in federal politics, first elected in November 1988. Only two current Members of Parliament have served in the House longer. He has won five elections.

McGuire said his major reason for leaving was to spend more time with his family, and that his decision not to run in the next federal election would come as no surprise to Ignatieff.

"I had told him I was supporting him because I thought he was the best leader, and that my career was winding down and not to count on me for being there if he was the leader," he said.

The timing of the announcement was in order to give his riding association plenty of time to find a new candidate, who could be ready to go when an election is called, said McGuire. That could be as soon as later this month.