PC MPP Lisa MacLeod says she'll resume her duties starting when the legislature sits again next week.

"I want to assure my constituents that I will return to Queen's Park on Tuesday, October 25 as I continue to take my duty to represent them seriously," she said in a LinkedIn post on Thursday. "I will also spend my time working on public policy matters such as women's leadership and protection issues, children's sports, recreation and culture as well as mental health, anti-bullying and suicide prevention as I have done since the beginning of my career."

MacLeod, who represents Nepean, took a break from politics shortly after she was re-elected in June. She said at the time that her "mental and physical health and well-being have been greatly impacted."

In her Thursday statement, she said she was diagnosed with bipolar and metabolic disorders after suffering a "mental health crisis" in mid-May. MacLeod said she's been addressing the issues with her medical team over the past few months, and began a "gradual return to work in August."

"While initially it was difficult to come to grips with these diagnoses, I recognize these are realities many people also have to manage," she said in the statement. "I am confident that with the right medication, regular therapy and changes to my nutritional and exercise routines I will be able to manage these concurrent diagnoses as others do too."

MacLeod previously had ministerial posts in social services, women's issues, and tourism, culture and sport. She is perhaps best known for her tumultuous time as the handler of the province's autism program, as sweeping changes saw wait lists expand and children go without therapy. When the new program rolled out, she allegedly threatened an autism group with a "long, hard four years" if they didn't provide a positive quote.

Parents and stakeholders revolted at her handling of the file, and the Ford government issued a mea culpa after shuffling her out of the role.

She also garnered controversy for allegedly calling late Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk a "piece of shit" at a Rolling Stones concert.

MacLeod thanked her Nepean constituents, staff, family doctor, health-care staff, and political colleagues who reached out, including various MPPs, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, and others.

"Each of them reminded me in my difficult days that the work we do is noble and when the chips are down there is indeed humility, decency and empathy at the root of our political system — which is heartening in these polarizing times where it is far easier to throw an insult on social media rather than to check in and say a kind word," she said.

Lisa MacLeod to return to work next week after ‘mental health crisis’

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