Former Tory minister retiring, says he won't run to lead Saskatchewan Party

Gerry Ritz won't enter the race to lead the Saskatchewan Party, the long-serving Conservative MP said Thursday, after announcing he's leaving federal politics.

"It is out of the question," Ritz said in a telephone interview, suggesting he's finished with political office.

"After 25 years involved at the federal level, I'm not sure there's enough fire in the belly left to take on a challenge at that level."

That doesn't mean he won't be active in supporting someone in the race to replace outgoing Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, Ritz said.

"I just don't see myself in that capacity."

Ritz added that he has been paying close attention to the leadership race, although he hasn't yet picked a favourite to support before the party chooses a new leader in January.

In a statement posted earlier on social media, Ritz confirmed he won't be back in the Commons when House business resumes next month.

"Today, I am announcing my intent to resign as the member of Parliament for Battlefords-Lloydminster," Ritz posted on Twitter.

"I will not be returning to my seat in the House of Commons this fall."

Ritz was first elected in 1997 and held his Saskatchewan riding for two decades, first as a Reform party member, then under the Canadian Alliance banner before it merged with the Progressive Conservatives to become the Conservative party.

Between 2007 and 2015, he served as agriculture minister under former prime minister Stephen Harper, overseeing, among other things, the marquee Conservative promise to overhaul the Canadian Wheat Board.

It was during that time, in the midst of a 2008 outbreak of listeriosis that killed about 20 people, that the outspoken Ritz drew widespread condemnation for cracking a joke that the political damage from the issue was "like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts."

He later apologized for the remark, which Harper's office had called tasteless and completely inappropriate.

Ritz said he informed Andrew Scheer of his planned retirement two weeks ago as the Conservative leader was in the midst of putting together his shadow cabinet.

Scheer thanked Ritz for his years of service, making particular note of the MP's role in growing markets for Canada's agricultural products.

"Under his leadership, Canadians have witnessed greater marketing freedom for grain farmers, the significant expansion of international markets for Canadian farmers and ranchers and unprecedented support for agricultural innovation," Scheer said in a statement.

Ritz, 66, spent two decades as a farmer before entering politics. He won office in the same election that saw Deepak Obhrai secure a seat for the Reform party in Calgary — Obhrai was sworn in before Ritz, because of the alphabetical list, and is technically considered the longest-serving Tory MP.

But the duo represent the last of the old Reform guard in the Commons.

After the Liberals came to power and Harper stepped down as Conservative leader, Ritz served as international trade critic under interim party leader Rona Ambrose.

In his Thursday tweet, Ritz extended thanks to his colleagues as well as his constituents.

"It has been an honour and privilege to serve the people of Battlefords-Lloydminster; I thank them for the confidence they placed in me for the past 20 years," he wrote.

Ritz also had high praise Thursday for Premier Wall's tenure in office, saying his replacement will have "some pretty big shoes to fill."

There are five declared candidates for the provincial party's leadership so far.

Party members are to select their new leader on Jan. 27 in Saskatoon.

Just after the Tories were reduced to Opposition status last election, Ritz told the Manitoba Cooperator his wife had hoped he wouldn't run again in the 2015 race, but he felt had unfinished business.

"I'm not ashamed of anything I have done or how I've done it," he said.

"I certainly will look anybody in the eye and say 'the greater good prevailed' and that’s what democracy is all about — having your say but not having your way (necessarily) with the election we just went through."