Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA officially resigns from legislature

Don MacIntyre has officially resigned as a member of Alberta's legislative assembly.

On Friday, United Conservative Party (UCP) Leader Jason Kenney issued a statement that MacIntyre, the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake,had resigned from caucus.

• Former Alberta MLA Don MacIntyre resigned following sexual assault, sexual interference charges
• MLA Don MacIntyre resigns from UCP caucus

Details surrounding the circumstances leading to MacIntyre's departure have not been made public.

Last week, MacIntyrepostedon Twitterthat he was leaving politics to focus on his family. Only a few days earlier, MacIntyrewas in his seat in the legislature as leader Jason Kenney was sworn is as a new MLA.

A byelection must now be called within the next six months to fill the vacant seat.

MacIntyre was elected in 2015 with the Wildrose party, and emerged as an outspoken critic on issues such electricity power purchase agreements.

Prior to that, he was a part-time instructor in the alternative energy program at NAIT, and worked as the chief technical officer for a private overseas geothermal company.

MacIntyre was criticized by the NDP last year after he suggested that science hasn't conclusively proven that climate change is a man-made problem.

• 'Science isn't settled' shows Wildrose attitude to climate change, minister says

The news of MacIntyre's sudden exit Friday came the same day as Kenneyannouncedthat MLA Derek Fildebrandt would not be allowed to rejoin the UCP caucus, after he pleaded guilty to illegally shooting a deer on private land.

Fildebrandtremains as the Independent member for Strathmore-Brooks.

• Fildebrandt won't be allowed to rejoin UCP after pleading guilty to illegally shooting deer