Canadian provincial leader resigns

Mr Harris' six years in office were marked by scandal

The premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, has resigned citing personal reasons.

At the end of the day, on balance, your gut kind of tells you what you think is best for Mike Harris and what is best for the party, I made a very personal decision

Mike Harris

Mike Harris, leader of the Progressive Conservative party, said he wished to leave politics and be reconciled with his estranged wife.

"At the end of the day, on balance, your gut kind of tells you what you think is best for Mike Harris and what is best for the party, I made a very personal decision," he told journalists.

He announced his intention to resign to Conservative provincial legislators on Tuesday before flying to New York to meet Governor George Pataki.

Scandals

His six years in office have been overshadowed by a series of scandals, including a water contamination scare in the town of Walkerton, that killed seven people and poisoned another 2,000.

Harris said he 'doesn't want to be in politics any more'

Critics blamed Mr Harris's ruthless budget cuts, including the privatisation of water treatment and other public services, for the disaster, when E. coli bacteria got into the water supply.

He also caused controversy in his treatment of Indian protesters in a provincial park in 1995, when one protester was shot dead.

Mr Harris denied direct involvement despite leaked court documents showing he met police officials shortly before the rally.

Mr Harris won power with the Progressive Conservative party in 1995 on a solid platform of tax cuts, reduction in welfare recipients and reducing school board sizes.

In addition to six years as premier he also spent 11 years as leader of the provincial party.

The next Ontario provincial election is due in 2003.