By Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press
Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler speaks to media in Winnipeg on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Lambert)
Manitoba Progressive Conservative Ron Schuler has announced he will not seek re-election.
Schuler is 62 years old, has been in the legislature for 27 years, and says he is looking forward to spending more time with his family.
He plans to serve out the remainder of his term, and says announcing his plans now gives the party and potential successors time to prepare for the next election, slated for October 2027.
Two other Tories — Kevin Goertzen and Doyle Piwniuk — have also recently announced they will not run again.
Schuler was first elected in 1999 and has been re-elected ever since in a constituency east of Winnipeg, now called Springfield-Ritchot.
He served in cabinet for five years, first as minister of Crown services, then as minister of infrastructure.
He was removed from cabinet in 2021 by then-premier Heather Stefanson, who said Schuler’s messaging on COVID-19 vaccines was not consistent with the government’s vaccination efforts.
Schuler had earlier told reporters he is not against vaccines, that people should listen to their doctor and that the decision should come down to individual rights. He did not disclose his own vaccination status.
Schuler was consistently popular in his constituency, and won his seat by a margin of close to 2,000 votes in 2023.
