Michael McLeod knew he didn't want anything more than three terms as the NWT's Member of Parliament, so his political career will come to an end in the next year or so.

"I knew I was going to make an announcement at some point. It's sad in a way but I'm happy that down the road, I'm going to have a little more free time for my family, for my grandkids, for myself."

The announcement McLeod's referring to is his reveal on July 10 that he will not be seeking another term in the next federal election. With the news broken, he shared more about his time as an MP, what he thinks of the current Liberal government and what's next on his plate.

"I had pretty much decided after my last election that three terms was going to be it for me," McLeod said. "I talked to my family and I talked to my friends and I realized that three terms is a long time and it gives me time to try to move the dial on many issues I set my eyes on."

Those issues include increasing investment in the NWT, movement on the Indigenous agenda and more climate action, he explained.

"I wanted to see improvement in our social support system," McLeod added. "And I think all of those things have seen significant investment and improvement, so it leaves me satisfied."

Still, the longtime politician said there's much more to do.

"The world of politics, everything evolves and there's always more that needs to be done. I had to consider all those things and recognize that I was going to hold true to my commitment to three terms."

With a chance to step back, McLeod said the current Liberal government needs to take seriously what's being reported in the polls. 

"I think in the North, for us, the people are going to be watching to see what will be reflected in the platforms in terms of what people have been saying. My advice to the party leaders has been, we need to have people out here. We need people on the ground."

McLeod added the needs are great in the North. Although there's been some investment, there are still some outstanding issues.

"We still have communities that don't have roads, we still have communities that don't have , so those things need to be addressed."

He credits Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the amount of time he's spent in the North, saying he's visited more than any other federal leader.

"I know Jagmeet Singh and Pierre Poilievre have very limited exposure to the Northwest Territories, they know very little about the Northwest Territories."

Regardless, he acknowledged that people in the North are going to want to hear the prime minister state publicly what the Liberals' plans are in the North and see it in their platform.

"Until that happens, people are going to reserve the right to vote however and for whoever they feel will help them."

Sacrifices while travelling

Being an MP is a fast-paced job, according to McLeod, and he's met some great people along the way. And the work has kept him a long ways from home for periods. For the last nine years, McLeod said he spends about one third of his time in Ottawa, another third in the NWT, and the final third in planes and airports.

"It's been an interesting life, but at some point you can't continue to live out of a suitcase. And when you have grandkids that are asking, 'When are you going to come visit?' it pulls at your heart strings."

Spending time with his grandchildren was something McLeod also mentioned in his earlier announcement about not seeking re-election. Other than that, he mentioned he's got a stack of books given to him which he's been meaning to read.

What drew McLeod into politics in the first place, he said, was working with the youth. By the sounds of it, that drive is pulling him to other places.

"I really want to go back to that, probably more as a volunteer than anything else," he said. "I felt it then and I still feel it, that our youth need support," he said.

He added he also wants to be involved in anything that promotes climate action initiatives. McLeod said he's still concerned about people living in poverty too.

"Those areas, I know for sure, will keep me busy or keep me involved."

His advice to whoever is NWT MP next: stay focused on what matters to Northerners. "That has to be number one."