Murphy’s Logic: True leaders know when to leave [Video]

Frank McKenna sometimes jokes that he has been thanked more often for stepping down after 10 years as premier of New Brunswick than for what he did during his 10 years in office.

He usually gets a laugh with that line. But as is often the case with a good joke, there’s some truth in it.

McKenna resigned in 1997, 10 years to the day after he was elected, for what might now seem like a rather quaint reason. He did it because he said he would.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App

He once told me saying he would go after 10 years was a promise he soon regretted making because people like me started counting down the days. Not exactly … but we were keeping track!

All these years later, McKenna, the elder statesman, admits he was becoming more …