Joe Hargrave has very personal reason for not wanting to run again as MLA for Prince Albert - Carlton. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Joe Hargrave

Hargrave shares personal reasons for not running again

May 27, 2024 | 5:00 PM

When a life-long friend found out about a month ago that he had stage 4 cancer, Prince Albert – Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave started thinking about his own life and how he wanted to spend his time.

He is 68 now and would be 73 at the end of another term so he made the decision to give up the political seat he has held since 2016.

“My oldest friend in the world – him and I grew up together and two houses down from each other and we’re the exact same age,” Hargrave said.

“You know, he’s been healthy. He never smoked a day in his life, and we’re talking and he said he has stage 4 cancer and limited time left. It started to get to me about me and my wife and the things we’re looking forward to doing once I retire. I thought, do I want to live with regrets?”

After weeks of thinking, Hargrave decided he didn’t want to and told Premier Scott Moe that he would not be running again.

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“My wife and my family is way more important than anything to me and there’s things we want to do and I’d like to do that as a healthy man,” he said.

His resignation has nothing to do with any other political turmoil that has dogged the government lately, he said.

Hargrave and his wife plan to travel and he still owns a business in Melfort where he plans to stop occasionally.

The dealership has had a reliable manager for 20 years and does not need every day guidance from him, he said.

As MLA, Hargrave has served as Deputy Speaker, Minister of Highways, Minister responsible for SaskEnergy and Sasktel and vice-chair of the SaskBuilds Corporation Board.

He was also Minister of the Crown Investments Corporation, Minister responsible for STC and SGI and is retiring as the Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement and oversees the GTH and Provincial Archives ministry.

Hargrave also successfully saw the start of a major expansion to the Victoria Hospital, with the ground broken several weeks ago.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hargrave had one controversy that resulted in his stepping down as Minister of Highways after he travelled to the U.S. to sell some property at the same time people were being advised to stay home.

He would not share any potential names of who might replace him as the Sask. Party nominee for Carlton but said he expects to receive a lot of texts and calls over the next few days as word gets around.

He said he appreciated all the people of Prince Albert – Calton who have stopped at his riding office in the last eight or nine years, some supporters and some non-supporters.

“I think they’ve all really appreciated the good work that that is being done for our community and I want to thank them for that,” he said.

Hargrave had some strong words of encouragement for the people who he has represented in Regina for almost a decade and that is to be part of making good change happen.

That can be running for school boards, municipal council, any kind of local organization or for provincial office.

“I encourage people to get involved because it’s only by them getting involved that we can actually make Prince Albert better, make the province better, by making good changes.”

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com