Nathan Cullen's Farewell to Parliament featured themes of the Northwest and a duty of Parliamentarians to leave the country in a better place

MP Nathan Cullen presented his final speech to the House of Commons
on Wednesday, the Skeena-Bulkley Valley is retiring from the federal scene.

While the House of Commons has a bit of time left before they call it a summer, for Skeena-Buikley Valley MP Nathan Cullen, the time to be spent at Parliament Hill in Ottawa is now down to the days, with the Northwest MP set to retire from his seat at the end of this Parliament.

A fall election will send a new name and face to the national capital to represent this region and regardless of the party affiliation, he or she will have large shoes to fill from those of the personable MP who has represented the Northwest for fifteen years.

Whether one voted for him or not, whether one agrees with him on policies and political rhetoric or not, his dedication to Skeena-Bulkley Valley and the universal respect he received from all parties in Ottawa are testimony to the work he put in on the national stage.

His ten minute capsule of a life of politics took place on Wednesday evening in the capital and was interspersed with personal anecdotes, including some humorous asides as to the wisdom of his spouse Diana who shared wisdom with him often, a theme that many of us can understand completely.

He recounted some of his past political themes and his experiences throughout the Northwest all delivered with the relaxed speaking style that has won him admirers through his journey in Federal politics.

Referencing a life in politics as a calling, he recounted his modest goals and his love of the region.

"To represent a place like Skeena-Bulkley Valley. For those of you who have not been, you ought to go. It's this magnificent part of the world it's vast, it is beautiful it is breathtaking it is the very best of our country. And even better still are the people who live there. We have an expression up north, we say the people don't make the land, the land makes the people"

He took note of all that he has shared time with in the Northwest, mayors, Indigenous leaders and community activists and just regular residents.

Among some of his most treasured memories the Hobiyee celebrations he has attended and the impact that those experiences have given him through his time in politics.

His parting advice for his fellow parliamentarians was the need to keep perspective on the work of Parliament but how it is their duty to leave the country as a better place.

"I believe that we are actors passing across a stage Mr. Speaker, we all have our moment here and we can lose perspective that we pass across this stage, but yet others will pass behind us. 

May we in all of our efforts, week to not only leave Parliament a better place, leave this country a better place, And for sure Mr. Speaker I have been left better by this experience"






For more background on his time in Ottawa see our archive page here.