Robert Ghiz insists he is not moving to Ottawa

Premier Robert Ghiz is dealing head on with speculation he is quitting Prince Edward Island politics in order to make a move to Ottawa.

Ghiz says he's not sure what he will be doing but he says he does not plan to run for federal election in the near future.

He says it is his intention to stay in P.E.I. after a new Liberal leader is chosen in the new year.

In an interview with CBC Radio's Island Morning Friday he said, “I want to stay on Prince Edward Island. This is where our home is ... My wife and I just purchased a new home about a year ago. And our kids are starting schools here. So it's where we want to be and our plan is to stay here.”

Ghiz does admit he may consider a move to federal politics a few years down the road, but for now the family roots in P.E.I. are only getting stronger.

“We've got a great family. In fact my mother, who now lives out west, is planning on moving home,” he said. “So I look at it like this is where I want to be. And we'll wait to see what happens. Hopefully it will work out.”

Ghiz also told host Matt Rainnie that when looking back on his years as premier, he feels one of his government's greatest accomplishments was introducing day long kindergarten into the Island school system.

He says one of the most difficult days was trying to decide whether there should be continued government support to keep the Atlantic Beef products plant open.

He says an issue that surprised him, was the public outcry over the Plan B highway realignment.