REGINA - The long list of Sask Party MLA’s who are not running again grew longer on Tuesday.
Both Saskatoon Riverdale MLA Marv Friesen and Kelvington Wadena MLA Hugh Nerlien have announced they are not seeking re-election.
Friesen's departure is a blow for the Sask Party in their hopes to retain the Riversdale seat that Friesen narrowly wrestled away from longtime NDP control in 2020. But health challenges, including an upcoming surgery, are cited as the reasons for his decision to not run for a second term.
“I want to thank the people of Saskatoon Riversdale for electing me in 2020 and thank Premier Moe and my caucus colleagues for their support and friendship over these past four years. It has truly been an honour to serve the people of Riverdale, Saskatoon and our great province,” said Friesen in a statement.
Nerlien, who was first elected in 2016, said that his focus will be on spending more time with family. “It has been the honour of a lifetime to represent the great people of Kelvington-Wadena for the past eight years, and I look forward to supporting our next candidate to become the next MLA in a Saskatchewan Party government.”
The party says nomination meetings to select candidates in those two ridings will be held in the coming weeks.
This brings to 15 the number of current Saskatchewan Party incumbents not seeking re-election; also not running are two former Sask Party MLAs now sitting as Independents as well as two New Democrats.
