'In my mind its time': Sask. MLAs not seeking re-election, preparing for new chapter

Several retiring politicians are among the most experienced working in the halls of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.

Finance Minister Donna Harpauer has been a cabinet minister longer than any other currently serving in Canada. She’s worked as the MLA for Humbodlt-Watrous for the past 25 years.

“In my mind it’s time,” she told reporters Wednesday. “I actually considered that the last election and chose to do four more years but at the end of this term it’ll be 25 years. That’s considered a very long political life.”

Government Relations Minister Don McMorris gave the same reason. He too has been an MLA for 25 years and wasn’t willing to commit to another five years.

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Advanced Education Minister Gordon Wyant wants to be closer to home in Saskatoon – where he’s been approached to run for mayor.

“What I do in the future we are certainly giving some consideration to that. I had some discussions with my wife. I understand there’s a job but I’m not applying for it, not yet,” he explained.

Crown Corporations Minister Dustin Duncan has been an MLA since he was 26 years old and wants to find a new career while he’s still young.

“When I was elected, I was 26 years old. So in the back of my mind, you never want to take any election for granted but I kind of thought you know five elections, kind of 20 year time frame I could be in my mid forties and move on to something else and still have hopefully a whole life ahead of me,” he said.

Retiring MLAs are typically shuffled out of cabinet. However, the announcement comes too close to the province’s budget day. Shuffling could still happen later.

All four retiring members plan to serve out the remainder of their term of office.

With the addition of Harpauer, McMorris, Duncan and Wyant – a total of ten sitting Saskatchewan Party MLAs have announced they will not be seeking re-election this coming fall.

The others include Don Morgan (Saskatoon Southeast), Dana Skoropad (Arm River), Greg Ottenbreit (Yorkton), Ken Francis (Kindersley), Fred Bradshaw (Carrot River Valley) and Delbert Kirsch (Batoche).

In 2020, the Saskatchewan Party held 48 seats to the Saskatchewan NDP’s 13.

Today, the Sask. Party holds 44 seats, to the NDP's 14.

Former Saskatchewan Party MLAs Greg Lawrence and Ryan Domotor currently sit as independents while Nadine Wilson holds her seat of Saskatchewan Rivers as the Leader and sole elected member of the Saskatchewan United Party (SUP).

A provincial election must be called prior to Oct. 28, 2024.