Conservative MP for Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River Gary Vidal rises during Question Period, Friday, December 1, 2023 in Ottawa. A Conservative member of Parliament says he won't be seeking reelection because the party is not allowing an open nomination in a new riding. THE CANADIAN PRESS
Gary Vidal, a Conservative Member of Parliament, has announced his decision not to seek re-election, citing the lack of an open nomination process in a newly defined riding. Vidal, who has represented the Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River riding in Saskatchewan since 2019, points to significant changes in electoral boundaries.
He states that due to these alterations, he will no longer reside within the electoral district he currently serves but will be situated in the Battlefords-Lloydminster-Meadow Lake riding instead. Vidal expresses disappointment over the party's decision not to hold an open nomination process for selecting candidates in the new riding, a departure from his expectations.
Sarah Fischer, a party spokeswoman, confirms that Vidal was offered the opportunity to run in his current riding but respects his choice not to pursue re-election.
Although the revised version of Vidal's current riding retains most of his constituents, it excludes the community of Meadow Lake, where he has deep personal ties. Vidal's decision not to seek re-election follows his announcement in February to step down from his role as the Conservative Party's critic in Parliament for Indigenous services.
The implementation of the new federal riding boundaries came into effect recently, reflecting changes in electoral demographics and geographic distributions.
