Sudbury's longest serving councillor, Doug Craig, retires at 73

Morning North7:12Doug Craig leaving municipal politics in Sudbury

The longest serving city councillor in Greater Sudbury is stepping away from the world of municipal politics... Our city hall reporter Erik White interviewed Doug Craig about his retirement from municipal politics.

Doug Craig, GreaterSudburys longest serving city councillor, is retiring after 19 years on both city and regional council.

Craig, 73, began his career as a teacher and then vice-principal at several high schools across the city.

He first entered politics after a new downtown library complex was voted down in the mid-1990s.

Craig always represented the south end, butin recent years his ward expanded to include Coniston, Wahnapitae and other southern rural townships.

A minor stroke and subsequent surgery forced Craig to take some time away from council thisterm.

"It's just hard to look after [the ward], after a while, Craig said. Ten years ago, I'd get a call, like I did the other day from Coniston, and I'd be in the car and down there in 10 minutes. But I don't do that anymore."

As the councillor winds down his duties, he reflects that he has few regrets about his time on council.

"You know, all of my decisions weren't well liked, some of them were well liked, I'll tell you that, he said. And I never lost an election the whole 19 years I was there and Im very proud of that, as well."

Craig said hed like to retire to spend more time with his wife, who currently resides in a nursing home.

So far, there are seven candidates running to fill his seat in Ward 9.

The election is set for October 27.