Dauphin-area MP Robert Sopuck won't run in 2019 election

Manitoba Conservative MP Robert Sopuck has announced he will not seek re-election in 2019.

He has represented the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding since 2010.

Sopuck announced he would not run for the federal seat again during the annual general meeting of the riding's Conservative electoral district association.

"I am not running again for personal and family reasons, but look forward to finishing out my last term as a Member of Parliament," he said in a news release.

Sopuck said he has already told the party leadership and the Manitoba Conservative caucus.

During his time in federal politics, Sopuck has pitched himself to voters as a champion of "rural life, rural culture, and the rural economy."

As MP, Sopuck has chaired the Canada-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group, a non-partisan group that advocates for positive relations between Canada and Ukraine. He also chaired the Conservative hunting and angling caucus also served as a member of the standing committee for environment and sustainable development and the standing committee for fisheries and oceans.

In the last election he won 46.4per cent of the vote, beating Liberal candidateRayPich andNDP candidateLaverneLewycky.

"I want to give a big thank you to all of my constituents, it has been an honour and I have truly enjoyed my time being able to represent this beautiful area of Manitoba," Sopuck said.

The next federal election is Oct. 21, 2019.