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Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall says she will resign from her Yorkton-Melville seat on Aug. 31, 2026 — earlier than she had previously planned.
“I rise today to give my last speech in this place, having been here since 2015,” she said Wednesday in her final speech in the House of Commons.
In a social media post on X, Wagantall said she originally intended to represent the riding until the next federal election, but decided to leave at the end of August instead. She did not provide a reason for the change of plans.
Wagantall has represented the southeastern Saskatchewan riding since 2015, winning it across four election cycles. Her early departure will trigger a byelection in the riding.
Much of her farewell speech was praise of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
“He’s not God, but he’s amazing,” she said.
During her time in Parliament, Wagantall introduced legislation aimed at violence against pregnant women and drew attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for refusing to share her vaccination status.
“I wasn’t allowed to do my job on this hill because I wouldn’t share my status in regard to the COVID vaccine,” she said during her speech.
A member of the standing committee on veterans affairs, Wagantall spoke about advocacy for veterans, including those she said are homeless or couch-surfing in Regina and Saskatoon.
She also highlighted her three private member’s bills focused on violence against women and pregnant women, among them Cassie and Molly’s Law in 2016 and a later sex-selective abortion bill — none of which passed.
Wagantall also congratulated Nelson Pohl, who she said was chosen by the local Conservative association as the party’s candidate of record for the next election.A date for the byelection to fill the vacancy has not yet been set.