Souris Moose-Mountain MP Dr. Robert Kitchen will not be seeking election during the next federal election, currently set for 2025.
He's decided to move out of the role, with a new CPC candidate to be decided in the future, with a nomination process currently ongoing.
Kitchen says all the community support he's received over the years has made it a tough decision.
"I've been very fortunate to have such huge support from the Souris-Moose Mountain riding and my constituents have been tremendous supporters of me and I can't thank them enough. I'm truly honoured for that support they've shown me and the confidence and the guided wisdom that they've provided me."
"With that said, I've always believed that, and I've always said to my kids that you're in it, you're in it from the start to the finish. When the season's over, then you can decide to stay on if you want to do it next year, but if your buddies are going South for winter vacation and you're still here, we're going to hockey and skating. So the decision had to be made as to whether I'm prepared to go farther come the next election, and I've chosen. It's the right decision that I've chosen not to do so."
When 2025 rolls around Kitchen will have been in his position for 10 years, and he says he's been through a lot.
"It's been interesting times. There have obviously been many highs and a number of lows. Obviously I would have wished that I was in government as opposed to having been in opposition, but that's what the country has decided and we will move forward on that."
"But highs were, you know, getting elected three times and getting so as in the last election with the highest percentage of vote in all of Canada and the one before that being the second highest. So those were great honours for me. The other high that is there is the ability that I had to sit or to get out and meet my constituents and hear from them. That to me, is such a tremendous benefit as being an MP and learning from so many different people."
Kitchen says that the large, diverse community in the southeast means that any MP has a lot of ground to cover.
Well, I think the biggest thing that we see is such a diverse community that we have, the riding is 43,000 square kilometers and actually come the next election there will be another 10,000 square kilometers added to it."
"But we have such a tremendous knowledge base and diversity. When we look we have our coal miners, we have our oil and gas, we have our energy sector, we have our agriculture, our farmers, and our ranchers. We have potash and then on top of that, we have our small businesses."
Kitchen gives two pieces of advice for whoever ends up succeeding him in the position of MP for the Souris-Moose Mountain area.
"Number one, that the riding is so huge and getting out there and about to meet and talk to as many constituents as you possibly can. To learn what their feelings are and what their opinions are. I think that's one."
"The second is also the huge impact that it will have on your family it's been a tremendous challenge. Along those lines, family, and health and those are things that we need to recognize. My wife is my best friend and she has provided such support. I can't thank her enough. But with that said, in many ways, as a Member of Parliament, you get guilty where you put your family second to your constituency, and that I have done, and now it's time for me to correct that."
Kitchen says he'll still be around the community after he steps down, and he'll still be doing everything he can as Souris-Moose Mountain's MP prior to the next election.
"I'm not going anywhere. This is home. I will be here and hopefully, I will get a chance to get out to a few more hockey games because I've missed that for the last little while and get out to support the Bruins in a much greater way, but we need to remember that although I've announced this, I'm not stepping down."
"I'm still the MP 'til when that election comes, and with this present government, who knows? That could be two years down the road. I hope not. But I will be around my office and my offices throughout the riding are still open and we're still working and we're going to work till the very last day on helping my constituents in any way we can."