Biologist and wild-salmon advocate Alexandra Morton has decided not to run for the federal NDP in North Island.

The possibility of running arose last week, as reported on The Hook. In a post today on her blog, Morton set out her reasons for rejecting the NDP's invitation:

...my home is supporting foreign shareholders and not the local communities of Gwayasdums, Kingcome, Hope Town, Echo Bay, Alert Bay and Port McNeill. We have lost our residents, school and a culture is slipping away. Bureaucrats claim we were not worth the paperwork and this is wrong. I would like to fix this, because it is not good for the people, bears, whales or the salmon or the real economy. The real economy is the one that includes us, like wilderness tourism, community forests and many small businesses.

Over 1000 people wrote to me and generously shared their thoughts and supported whatever decision I made. I learned so much and I am very grateful.

I have decided not to run for Member of Parliament for Vancouver Island North because every time I spoke people would have to decide if that was the truth as I see it, or the best thing I could say to win votes, support a political party, or work with my caucus. I think my unique contribution to the home that I love is my role connecting the wet and wild world I am part of to people and government.

I am also deeply involved with the Cohen Inquiry into DFO's management of the Fraser sockeye. This is a powerful process that I want to see through.

The greatest regret I have in making this decision is forgoing the opportunity to work with Members of Parliament Fin Donnelly, Nathan Cullen, Jean Crowder, Denise Savoie and others. These are remarkable people are doing their best to represent us and the natural world that we depend on. I hope that I can be a resource to them and others in the political world.

On a Facebook page dedicated to discussing the possibility of Morton's running, no one appeared to have responded yet to her decision as of 4:30 p.m. today.

Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.