Shelly Glover always said she was never going to be a career politician and that she intended to one day return to her job as a sergeant with the Winnipeg Police Service.

On Friday, she made good on that promise.

Canada’s heritage minister and Manitoba’s senior MP announced she will not seek re-election in this October’s election, citing a desire to be closer to her family.

“My 10 years are done and, at the beginning, I promised I would only do 10 to 12 years,” Glover told the Sun, moments after feeding sweet potatoes to her six-month-old granddaughter Mila. “My family is relieved.”

Those 10 years in politics include nearly seven years as MP for St. Boniface, preceded by two-and-a-half years of door-knocking to convince voters in the former Liberal stronghold to elect a Conservative. She cruised to a convincing win in 2008, becoming the first policewoman elected to Parliament, then increased her plurality in the 2011 election.

When Vic Toews retired from politics two years ago, Glover was the obvious pick to succeed him as Manitoba’s senior MP, with Prime Minister Stephen Harper handing her the federal heritage portfolio.

Glover said she’s “humbled” the prime minister has asked her to continue in those roles, despite her impending departure from the federal scene. She also said she dreaded telling Harper.

“He was very understanding. He knows family comes first,” Glover said, noting she continues to admire Harper’s dedication to the country. “He takes such a tremendous amount of crap, but he has been a godsend for our country.”

Glover said her recent health scare — the MP revealed Thursday she had cancerous moles removed last year — had nothing to do with her decision, although some serious health issues with her family weighed in to it.

Her decision also had nothing to do with the Harper government’s chances in the fall election, or the stiff challenge she faced from Liberal candidate Dan Vandal, the area’s longtime city councillor, in being re-elected.

“Both our records speak for themselves,” Glover said of Vandal. “I have no doubt he would not have had a chance (at beating her). None at all.”

Glover said she dreaded telling Harper the news, but she had come to dread leaving her family behind every Sunday when she boarded a plane to Ottawa even more. The heritage minister cried when talking about the experience of having to say goodbye weekly to her family, which includes her husband Bruce, their five children, one grandchild, and another on the way.

“I have a new grandbaby, and every Sunday I have to leave her,” an emotional Glover said. “I don’t want to miss out on any part of her life.”

Glover is the third Winnipeg Tory MP to announce their impending retirement from federal office, joining Winnipeg South MP Rod Bruinooge and Kildonan-St. Paul’s Joy Smith. Glover said the mass exodus shouldn’t be seen as a negative reflection on the Harper government, but rather the heavy toll it takes on the people elected to do the job.

As for her next job, Glover said she informed Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis of her intention to return to the force — she had taken a leave of absence in the lead-up to her 2008 election — on Thursday. She said the two are going to meet soon about where she’ll fit in.

Glover, who once served as the department’s media liaison, is even open to walking the beat again, if that’s what the chief wants.

“When I left, I had been working in the North End to reduce the number of crackhouses and address the prostitution issue. I’d be happy to do that again,” Glover said, reiterating that decision is not hers to make.

In the meantime, her family was happy to have her home. During a 20-minute phone conversation with the Sun, relatives were heard hooting and hollering in celebration, with Glover saying a bottle of champagne had been uncorked. Her husband even briefly got on the phone.

“Shelly has a very happy husband,” he said, with laughter heard in the background.

Former city councillor Dan Vandal previously announced plans to contest the seat for the Liberal party.

On Friday, he said Glover will be difficult to replace.

"I think she should be proud of her accomplishments. She has left an excellent legacy," Vandal said.

— Kevin Engstrom

Vandal says plans haven’t changed

Shelly Glover’s decision not to seek re-election in the next federal election will create a wide-open race to fill a pivotal and coveted seat, local political experts say.

St. Boniface was a Liberal stronghold for 20 years prior to going blue when Glover first won in 2008. Now her decision leaves the riding up for grabs.

Former Winnipeg councillor Dan Vandal announced last May he would contest the seat that encompasses the area he was responsible for during his time at city hall.

Vandal said he was surprised to hear the news and lauded Glover for her “incredible accomplishments” and an “excellent legacy” she leaves behind.

“I was prepping for a very, very tough campaign and I still am,” Vandal said. “Whoever comes forward from the Conservative side will not have the impact that Shelly Glover would in an election.

“I knew I was going to have to get out there and work very, very hard and I’ve already started it and we are planning to run the same campaign. I knew it was going to be difficult to unseat an incumbent but I was confident that our chances were good. So nothing is going to change on my side. I’m going to keep working very hard.”

Experts: St. B will be hot race

Paul Thomas, a political science professor at the University of Manitoba, said the competition for the seat will heat up.

“I think it’s competitive. It hasn’t been owned by anyone exclusively although most recently it’s been Conservative,” he said. “But there was a history where Liberals counted it reliably in their camp. ... I think it is going to be more competitive this time around.”

Royce Koop, an associate professor at U of M, said Glover would have been tough to beat and her stepping away, combined with Vandal’s name recognition, has to be seen as a hit to the Conservative party.

Thomas suggested St. Boniface could be an ideal spot for an up-and-coming Conservative candidate to run, having the backing of the Prime Minister and the party in power.

Koop said the Conservatives could go off the radar in selecting who runs in Glover’s place.

“It’s probably not even someone that we would associate with the Conservative party at the moment,” Koop said. “They’ll probably try to get someone that’s well-known locally, prominent community figure, probably someone from the Francophone community. That’s what I would guess.”

— David Larkins