Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark won't seek re-election
Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark won't run for re-election this fall.
He made the announcement during a news conference at city hall Wednesday afternoon.
"I only have a brief window of time to experience being a parent who isn't also a public figure and I want to get the most out of these last years with my kids," Clark said.
Clark has served two terms as mayor. Before that, he served as a city councillor for a decade.
"I actually didn't get into civic politics to make it a career. But after almost 18 years — life-changing years — on city council, I can tell in my heart that it's time for a new chapter in my life, and I honestly do not know what that is yet."
Clark preemptively dismissed any speculation he would plunge into provincial or federal politics.
"So to clear up some of the rumours, I do not plan on running for provincial or federal politics in any of the upcoming elections that are coming up in this cycle," Clark said.
At one point during his prepared remarks, Clark paused and choked as he reflected on some of the sacrifices that come along with the mayor's office.
"If you would look at the texts between Sarah (Clarks' wife) and I over the years, you'd see a record of so many nights when I said 'Oh I'll be home by five or 5:30 to help with supper and sit down with the family.' But some curveball would come in and I wouldn't be home until nine or 10," Clark said.
"And there have been so many nights when I've come home stressed and struggling with one issue or another."
Clark said he plans to stay on as mayor, serving out the rest of his term.
"This city council has been elected until November and we still have very important work to do in the coming months," Clark said, referencing plans for a downtown entertainment district, and work that's still to come on shelters, housing and bus rapid transit.
Clark unseated incumbent mayor Don Atchison in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.
In 1988, Cliff Wright was the last Saskatoon mayor who left office voluntarily instead of seeing defeat in a municipal election.
Saskatoon's next election is slated for Nov. 13.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Second Cup closes Montreal franchise over hateful incident
Second Cup Café has closed one of its franchise locations in Montreal following allegations of hateful remarks and gestures made by the franchisee in a video that was widely circulated online during a pro-Palestinian protest on Thursday.
Winnipeg police shoot, kill suspect after officer stabbed in the throat
A Winnipeg Police Service officer is recovering after he was stabbed in the throat Sunday evening.
Court hearing legal arguments in sex assault case of five hockey players
A London, Ont., judge is set to hear legal arguments today in the sexual assault case of five members of Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team.
Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont.
A large cargo ship remains stuck in the St. Lawrence River after running aground on Saturday afternoon.
'It’s pretty emotional': N.B. family escape fire, plan to rebuild home
A family in Riverview, N.B., is making plans for Christmas and the future after escaping a fire in their home on Nov. 14.
Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide
A judge will decide Monday whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez in the shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills home more than 30 years ago.
Dozens of people in Canada have scurvy, and it's because of food
A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada.
B.C. man awarded $800K in damages after being injured by defective bear banger
A B.C. man has been awarded nearly $800,000 in damages as compensation for injuries he sustained from a defective bear banger, according to a recent court decision.
Prosecutors demand maximum sentence for Gisele Pelicot's ex-husband in mammoth rape trial in France
A mammoth rape trial in France moved into a new phase Monday with prosecutors beginning to lay out the verdicts and punishments they want for dozens of men accused of raping Gisele Pelicot while she was drugged and rendered unconscious by her husband.