Hamilton MPP Ted McMeekin says he will give up his spot at the Liberal cabinet table to make room for more women.

The municipal affairs and housing minister said in an interview Monday his decision was spurred by a looming cabinet shuffle and a desire to help Premier Kathleen Wynne shoot for gender parity.

"Sometimes timing is everything. The premier and I talked about it and she thinks it's important to move toward more of a gender balance," he said. "I happen to agree with her."

The 68-year-old, who beat prostate cancer in 2008, said he feels great and is not leaving cabinet over health concerns. McMeekin (who will turn 69 in December) said he'll continue as MPP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, but declined to say if he'll run in 2018. He has been at Queen's Park since a 2000 byelection in the former riding of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot.

In an online statement, McMeekin said he thought about his three daughters and a day when gender parity "would just be taken for granted."

"Sometimes the best way for a man to advance the equality of women may be to step back and make room at the table," he said in the statement.

McMeekin later added he felt more comfortable stepping away from cabinet because legislative action is "well underway" on many of his top priorities, including homelessness, poverty reduction and reviews of the Municipal Act and Greenbelt.

"I'm going to keep up my interest on those items," he said. "And if my colleagues (in cabinet) need advice, well, they can come to me. I'm full of advice."

Mayor Fred Eisenberger praised the "classy" decision even as he mourned the loss of Hamilton's only provincial cabinet minister. "Not having that voice at the table is going to be a considerable loss. Those are important, powerful portfolios," he said, also pointing to McMeekin's past posts, including agriculture and community services.

"His legacy in Hamilton is enormous, from LRT to housing and homelessness."

McMaster University political science professor Henry Jacek said he's not surprised to see McMeekin "be the loyal soldier" for Wynne, whom he supported in the Liberal leadership race to replace Dalton McGuinty.

In a statement, Wynne called McMeekin a "strong progressive voice" on issues like social housing and poverty reduction. "As we take steps towards gender parity in cabinet, selfless and bold action like Ted's is welcome."

Some political observers have pointed to new Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon as a potential regional replacement in a revamped Liberal cabinet. There has also been speculation Halton MPP Indira Naidoo-Harris could wind up in cabinet.

McMahon said Monday she hasn't spoken to the premier about a potential cabinet role, but added she would "delighted to serve" given the chance. "I consider Ted a great public servant, a friend and a mentor," she said. "He has a passion for Hamilton and it's a passion I share."

McMeekin said he expects to be "just as effective" on behalf of the city. "I'll continue to have a good relationship with my cabinet colleagues. Now, I'll be able to call on them on behalf of Hamilton in a more focused way."

The following is the text of Ted McMeekin's post on Facebook on Monday afternoon: Earlier today I spoke with the premier and let her know that I would not be continuing as a member of her cabinet. I will continue to discharge my duties as minister of municipal affairs and housing until the premier names a replacement.

My decision was focused by the Premier's intention to achieve gender parity in her next Cabinet.

I have three daughters, all confident and accomplished young women. With my wonderful wife, they are the joy of my life. Thinking of them, I've often dreamed of a day when the question of gender parity wouldn't even arise, because it would just be taken for granted.

Like our Prime Minister, I've never been afraid to call myself a feminist. In fact, I've always been proud of being an honourary member of the Women's Caucus, and working for equality.

But sometimes the best way for a man to advance the equality of women may be to step back and make room at the table.

For me, this is such a time.

I won't tell you this was an easy decision. Even with all of my privilege and advantages, there's a part of me that still wants to cry out "this isn't fair." It has caused me some soul searching.

Ultimately, I support the Premier's leadership in this matter and I want to do what I can to help her achieve it.

I don't make this decision lightly. It has meant a great deal to me to serve in the governments of Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty, and when I look at what we have achieved, together — even just the few pieces I've had a small hand in — I feel a quiet pride.

We brought in the province's first Poverty Reduction Strategy and lifted tens of thousands of children out of poverty. Then we set a goal of eliminating chronic homelessness within ten years.

We moved to wipe out the waitlists for direct funding programs serving developmentally disabled children and adults.

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We refreshed our affordable housing strategy with a revolutionary new, portable housing benefit. We're giving municipalities the authority to adopt inclusionary zoning. And we secured over a billion dollars of new funding for housing, because we believe that everyone in Ontario should have "an affordable, suitable and adequate home to provide the foundation to secure employment, raise a family and build strong communities."

We brought in a Local Food act. And when the previous federal government threatened to eliminate the agricultural stability programs on which so many of our farmers rely, we worked with other provinces to stand up for agriculture.

We've reaffirmed our protection of the Greenbelt and our commitment to end urban sprawl, for the sake of ensuring a better quality of life to our children and grandchildren.

I know the cynics and critics will say none of it was enough, and I'll let you in on a little secret. Most of the time, I agree with them. There's always more to be done. That's what has driven me so far, so long.

But I will not let the excellent become the enemy of the good. We've done some very good work… and I'm proud of it.

When the new Cabinet is named, I will happily return to giving my constituents the kind of service and attention they deserve, without having to share me with the many demands on the time of a Cabinet minister. I've contested five provincial elections in the last 16 years and each time the people of my riding have given me the great privilege of representing them. It remains one of the great honours of my life.

To the Premiers I've served

To my colleagues in Cabinet, caucus and the Legislature

To the staff teams and dedicated ministry officials

And of course to the voters of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, who so many times honoured me with their trust…

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

In closing, let me quote two of the leaders whose views and actions helped to shape me.

Father Daniel Berrigan, the great social activist who died just a few weeks ago, said "We stand on the brink of the unknown; which is to say, things are normal, and good, and permissive of joy."

No one who knows me would expect me to close without quoting the hero of my youth, Bobby Kennedy.

Bobby said: "Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal" —or as I'm sure he would frame it today —

"Each time a man or woman stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

I'm grateful to have sent my few small ripples into the current of this Province. Thank you.