The province has announced a byelection for the Manitoba seat last held by former premier Brian Pallister.
Current premier Heather Stefanson announced Tuesday that the vote in the Fort Whyte constituency will take place Tuesday, March 22.
“This byelection will provide the constituents of Fort Whyte an opportunity to share their voice on who will represent them in the Manitoba legislative assembly going forward,” said Stefanson.
“By having this vacancy filled in a fair and timely manner, it continues the important principal of democratic representation the province of Manitoba was proudly founded on.”
Pallister resigned as Fort Whyte MLA on Oct. 4 of last year, after a tumultuous end to his premiership that saw him face criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as controversial comments he made in the wake of a large-scale protest about the discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schools nationwide.
The former premier had served as MLA since 2012 in the constituency — which has been consistently represented by Progressive Conservative MLAs since its creation in 1999.
The byelection race has the interesting wrinkle of pitting two former Winnipeg Blue Bombers stars — Obby Khan (PC) and Willard Reaves (Liberal) against each other, along with NDP candidate Trudy Schroeder.
The province said its chief electoral officer will announce polling times and locations in the upcoming days.