I’m not sure if it’s the weather or what, but it seems like everyone is deciding to pack it up. Another day, another retirement announcement – this time Liberal MP Keith Martin.

I’ve always had a lot of time for Keith Martin. He entered politics for the right reasons. When he switched parties, it wasn’t to grab a Cabinet seat – he sat as an independent, won the Liberal nomination, then ran and won under the Liberal banner in the 2004 election. He’s always been an issues-driven MP, trying to make a difference, with Health Care reform the topic most near and dear to his heart. (Click here to see my interview with him on the state of Health Care in Canada)

Martin’s loss will definitely be a blow to the Liberals. My seat projector pegged his re-election odds at 61%, but it’s foolish to think Esquimalt-Juan De Fuca was anything but a Keith Martin seat. And since Martin only took the riding by 68 votes last time, this one has CPC pick-up written all over it.