The minister of Education may be retiring from territorial politics, but he’s not closing the door on the political realm just yet.

Doug Graham, who served four terms as a city councillor before being elected to the legislature in 2011, expressed interest in returning to municipal politics in an interview with the Star this morning.

“I haven’t ruled out going back to city council some time in the future,” he said.

“It’s just enjoyable because it’s really close to people, and you see things change right away, where as in territorial government, it takes a long time.”

The next municipal election will take place in late 2018.

The MLA for Porter Creek North announced Wednesday he will not run again in the upcoming territorial election.

“I’ve reached that stage in my life. I actually had retired before I ran five years ago,” he said.

“I worked an extra five years,” he said, adding that it’s time to give a younger person the chance to get into territorial politics.

To be sure, Graham remains faithful to the Yukon Party.

“I’m a Yukon Party guy through and through,” he said. “I’m leaving on good terms.”

He said there is “absolutely no chance” that he would run for the Liberals or NDP this time around.

Before the 2011 election, he had indicated he would seek a Liberal nomination.

Graham concedes the last sitting of the legislative assembly was difficult for him.

There weren’t many questions directed at him and he wasn’t able to participate as much as he would have liked, he said.

But in a way, that’s a good thing.

“We’ve done some great things with education and that’s why we didn’t get many questions,” he said.

Indeed, under Graham, a unit on residential schools and their lasting impacts was introduced to all Yukon high schools in 2015.

“We’ve signed some agreements with First Nations throughout the territory, we’re heading in the right direction with including more First Nation culture and residential school experiences in curriculum,” he said.

“I think that’s really important to the school system; that’s something I’m proud of.”

The minister said his department is working to improve the First Nations culture education, and specifically the language component.

While First Nations language instruction is available in most Yukon schools, students are not graduating from those programs as fluent speakers. This is an area that needs work, said Graham.

Looking back on his last five years in office, Graham said he is most proud of getting action on the continuing care facility in Whistle Bend when he was minister of Health and Social Services.

The 150-bed centre for seniors planned for Whistle Bend has garnered much criticism for its large size, remote location and uncertainty over what it will cost to operate and maintain.

Graham, however, is convinced that once the facility is up and running, Yukoners will be happy to have it.

“The criticism over the location will all go away when they see it,” he predicted.

“It will be the biggest subdivision, and the continuing care facility will be right in the centre of it. People will look at that in 20 years and say, ‘Golly, wasn’t that a great idea?’”

Graham has lived in the Yukon all his life.

He took his first seat in the legislature in 1978 as the Conservative MLA for the old Porter Creek West riding. The Yukon Party used to call itself the Conservative party.

Now, with his last sitting behind him barring an emergency session, Graham said he looks forward to running on the trails, playing hockey in the afternoons, and spending more time with his wife, Mayvor, who is also retired.

As an end note to this chapter of his career, Graham acknowledged the efforts of members of the public service.

“It’s really important that people understand how many good civil servants are working in this territory,” he said.

“And what a great job they do in sometimes difficult circumstances.”