Shannon Phillips, the MLA for Lethbridge-West, is stepping down from her position.
Phillips made the announcement during a media availability at the Galt Museum in Lethbridge on Monday afternoon.
She said her decision was made based on several factors, including wanting to step away from public life and pursue other opportunities.
“Now is the right time for the party and me personally,” Phillips said Monday.
“The leadership race since January has shown me that the Alberta NDP is stronger across the province and right here in Lethbridge than it ever has been before.”
Her resignation is effective July 1.
Phillips has represented the riding since 2015, first serving as environment minister under the NDP. She is currently the finance critic for the Official Opposition.
News of the comes two weeks after it was revealed that no charges would be laid announcement against two police officers who broke the rules, illegally surveilling the MLA in 2017 as she was discussing a new park while she was the NDP’s environment minister.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) later found the officers had committed criminal offenses, but the test for prosecution was not met.
“I will say that it is obvious I think to everyone that what happened to me at the hands of the Lethbridge Police Service, has by my read of it not very often if at all to any elected official,” she said.
After the decision on May 27, Phillips said she was relieved the situation was resolved but it was “unacceptable” that an elected official was treated that way.
Trevor Harrison, a political scientist with the University of Lethbridge, said the timing of the announcement is surprising.
“Of course, the leadership convention is still to be held to pick a new leader for the NDP. So the timing is a little bit interesting that way. But I think the fact that she’s leaving though is not terribly much of a surprise,” Harrison said.
With files from CTV News Lethbridge’s Quinn Keenan and the Canadian Press
