Kindersley MLA Bill Boyd announced on Aug. 15 that he will be retiring from public life and resigning his seat, effective September 1, 2017.
For much of his tenure in government, Boyd was the minister responsible for the Saskatchewan energy sector. In 2007 he was named Minister of Minister of Energy and Resources, Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Power Corporation, Minister Responsible for Uranium Development Partnership, and the Minister Responsible for Innovation.
Eventually his portfolio was changed to Minister of Economy, which, as an over-arching ministry that now included economic development, also included energy and resources. Initially there was a separate minister responsible for energy and resources, Tim McMillan, under Boyd, but overall control of the ministry resided under Boyd.
Under his tenure, Saskatchewan saw a tremendous boom in its oil sector, but the last few years also saw a deep-cutting bust. In 2008, Saskatchewan had the largest Crown land sales ever, in excess of $1 billion, dwarfing anything before or since.
As then-Minister Responsible for SaskPower, Bill Boyd, was one of the minister responsible during the construction of the Boundary Dam Unit 3 Integrated Carbon Capture and Storage Project.
During his time as Minister of Energy and Resources Boyd often gave elements of the same speech, no matter where he was speaking, be it at oil shows or conferences. In it he would say he was instructed by Premier Brad Wall to say thank you to the oil industry for the investment and jobs.
Boyd had also seen significant controversy with regards to the Regina Global Transportation Hub and the land deals around it.
In 2016 Boyd left cabinet.
“When Premier Wall announced his retirement, he talked about renewal within the Saskatchewan Party," Boyd said in a release on Aug. 15.”I have been the MLA for Kindersley for a long time, so my retirement and a new MLA can be part of that renewal.”
“I want to thank the people of Kindersley constituency for the trust they placed in me over the past 26 years by electing me six times. It has been a tremendous honour for me to serve as MLA for this great part of our province.”
Boyd was first elected in 1991 as a Progressive Conservative (PC) MLA. He became PC Leader in 1994 and led that party through the 1995 election, which was won by the Roy Romanow NDP.
In 1997, Boyd was a driving force behind the formation of the Saskatchewan Party, leaving the PCs and giving up his leadership of that party to become a member of the new party. Boyd was re-elected in 1999 but stepped down as MLA in 2002 and left politics for a time.
Boyd ran again in 2007 and was elected as part of the first Saskatchewan Party government. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2016. He also served as the campaign co-chair of all three Saskatchewan Party election victories.
Boyd served as a cabinet minister from 2007 to 2016, holding various portfolios, including Energy and Resources, and Economy.
Premier Brad Wall said Boyd has been an important part of the Saskatchewan Party throughout its 20-year history.
“It's no exaggeration to say if it wasn't for Bill Boyd, there wouldn't be a Saskatchewan Party,” Wall said. “Bill was willing to give up his position as party leader to help form this new political voice for Saskatchewan, and has been a key reason for our party's success ever since.
“Bill clearly feels it's time for renewal in our party and for the Kindersley constituency, so now is the right time for this decision. I wish Bill and his family nothing but the best in the future.”
Bill Boyd and his wife, Lynn, operate a pedigree seed farm near Eston.
