Alberta United Conservative Party MLA Michaela Frey (Brooks-Medicine Hat) said she will not be running in the 2023 election. .“Over the past three years, I have had the honour and privilege of a lifetime to serve the constituents of Brooks-Medicine Hat,” said Frey in a Monday statement. .“It is with deep respect for you all I announce formally, today, that I will not seek re-election in 2023 as your Member of the Legislative Assembly.” .Frey said she won her seat as an MLA at about 25 years old in 2019 through hope and hard work. She said she was “humbled to be able to step into my new role as MLA, eyes wide-open, excited to take on the challenge of undoing the damage that the NDP has left.” .The Alberta UCP MLA went on to say being sworn and seeing her name among those such as former Alberta premiers Ralph Klein and Peter Lougheed is indescribable. She added the experience was “humbling and exhilarating, intimidating, and an honor.” .Over the past three years, the statement said she's been able to obtain results for Brooks-Medicine Hat and deliver on key promises. She has taken hundreds of meetings with constituents and stakeholders and spent countless hours on the phone and road. .Frey was able to broker a deal for the HALO Air Ambulance after years of advocacy and tough conversations. She brought more than $1 million to community organizations to ensure mental health services in her riding were accessible and barrier free. .The statement continued by saying she has seen hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in community projects such as the Rotary Peace Parks in Brooks and the skate spot in Medicine Hat, allowing kids to have spaces to learn and play. It said her riding was able to have the Bassano Lagoon funded to enable rural communities to have the infrastructure they need to succeed. .While the Alberta government has not always made the right decisions, the statement said she's proud of the work it has done. If the UCP are re-elected, it predicted Alberta’s best days are ahead of it. .Frey will continue to serve Brooks-Medicine Hat until her term ends. Her remaining time will be focused on physician retention in rural Alberta, improving access to healthcare, building more schools and infrastructure, and doing her best to leave the riding better than she found it. .She and her husband Keelan are trying to grow their family. While she might be leaving public life, the statement expressed excitement at new career opportunities for her. .“In closing, I want to thank you all for the support that you have offered me and for the time that I have been awarded to serve as the MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat,” she said. .“It truly has been the experience of a lifetime.” .Frey was one of a handful of UCP MLAs who spoke out in June against granting Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary-Nose Hill, AB) an exemption to run in the leadership race. .READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: UCP clears Rempel to seek leadership as MLAs backing rivals move to disqualify her.The UCP’s Leadership Election Committee decided to grant Rempel Garner an exemption to enter the party’s leadership race, despite MLAs warning it sets a “dangerous precedent.” .She required the waiver because she did not meet contest requirements.
