B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake will not seek a third term of office in the next provincial election in May 2017.
“Since January, I’ve been thinking what comes next, and I’ve always thrived on change and new challenges, and so for me the time is right,” Lake said.
“I’m 59 and I still have some juice in my battery, and if I want to learn and hone my skills at something else, I still have time to do that.
“I want to see what the world has in store for me. I’m passionate about environment issues and I’m passionate about health.”
The former Kamloops mayor said he will continue to serve as Liberal MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson and health minister as long as the premier wishes because he is committed to ongoing files.
A veterinarian, Lake said one option is to resume teaching animal health at Thompson Rivers University; he has been on leave since 2009.
Lake was elected in 2009 and again in 2013. He served two years as environment minister before he was appointed to the health portfolio in June 2013.
Lake said he has been part of great teams and hopes his legacy is that he made evidence-based decisions, that he was empathetic with patients and health-care workers, and that when mistakes were made, he was pragmatic enough to try a different approach.
As health minister, Lake hopes that he is viewed as having helped chart a course in reducing reliance on the acute-care system and strengthening community health, mental-health care and addiction services. Work to improve primary health care and implement an electronic health record is ongoing, he said.
“We can’t give up just because we have challenges,” Lake said.
B.C. Premier Christy Clark said Lake has been an invaluable member of her team and will be missed on the campaign trail.
“He brings a laser focus to public service and an unparalleled work ethic,” Clark said. “He always finds time to help his colleagues in caucus as an advisor and trusted sounding board.
B.C. NDP health critic Judy Darcy gave “kudos” to Lake for serving two terms and being knowledgeable and hard-working, but criticized him for solving some issues only when they became headlines or a crisis.
The province’s largest health care union extended thanks to Lake for his stewardship.
Jennifer Whiteside, secretary-business manager of the Hospital Employees’ Union, which represents 46,000 health-care workers across B.C., said: “While our union did not always agree with the minister and his government’s health-care policies, there's no question that Lake carried out his responsibilities with commitment.”
