VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) Premier Christy Clark has lost yet another high-profile cabinet minister.

Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom has announced he will not run in the May 2013 provincial election.

After 12 years as the MLA for Peace River South, Blair Lekstrom tells News1130 he’s been musing on political future for some time, having served as the mayor of Dawson Creek for five years before jumping into provincial politics.

“I think everybody reaches a time when they look at themselves and decide whether it’s time to move on and this is my time,” he says.

Lekstrom insists his decision is not because of a lack of confidence in Premier Christy Clark.

“Anyone who’s going to retire from politics is going to face that question,” he says. “Christy is a friend of mine, I’ve known Christy for many years. I think she took on an extremely difficult job and is doing a good job.”

In June 2010, Lekstrom, then BC’s Energy Minister, unexpectedly resigned from cabinet and left the Liberal Party because of public opposition to the HST, defeated almost a year later in the province-wide referendum.

As for his legacy, Lekstrom says he hopes people will remember him as someone who served the public as best he could.  “And tried to reflect what I thought was in the best interests of the province, each and every issue I took on.”

Lekstrom is the 13th sitting Liberal MLA to now announced they are not running in 2013.

Former Finance Minister Kevin Falcon, Education Minister George Abbott, John Les and Mary McNeil are also stepping down after the election.

Premier Christy Clark has promised a cabinet shuffle, which is expected this week.