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Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Greg Lawrence, who was injured in a motorcycle crash Aug. 3, has announced he won’t be running in the 2024 provincial election.
Lawrence has represented the riding since he was first elected in 2011.
“I had planned to run again, but after sustaining serious injuries in a motorcycle accident last month, my recovery has been more challenging than I expected,” Lawrence said in a statement released Tuesday by the Sask. Party. “I need to focus on my health and rehabilitation and that’s why I have decided not to seek re-election.
“I want to thank the people of Moose Jaw Wakamow for electing me as their MLA three times and assure them that my constituency office remains open and I continue to serve my constituents even as I recover from the accident. It has been the honour of my lifetime to serve you and I will continue doing so until the election next year.”
In the statement, Premier Scott Moe thanked Lawrence for “his 12 years of dedicated service” to the people in the Moose Jaw Wakamow constituency.
According to Lawrence’s biography on the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly website, he worked during his tenure as the legislative secretary to the minister of social services and as chair of the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs and Justice.
In a story from Aug. 3, Discover Moose Jaw said emergency crews responded to a motorcycle accident at around 4 p.m. on the Manitoba Expressway near the Trans-Canada Highway.
Police said at the time it appeared the motorcycle collided with a tree.
Lawrence is the seventh Saskatchewan Party MLA to announce he won’t be seeking re-election next year. He joins Don Morgan (Saskatoon Southeast), Dana Skoropad (Arm River), Fred Bradshaw (Carrot River Valley), Delbert Kirsch (Batoche), Greg Ottenbreit (Yorkton) and Ken Francis (Kindersley).
Ottenbreit and Francis made their announcements in May. The other four revealed their plans in August.
Two other veteran Sask. Party MLAs – Mark Docherty (Regina Coronation Park) and Lyle Stewart (Lumsden-Morse) – resigned their seats in February and March, respectively. Regina Walsh Acres MLA Derek Meyers died in March after a battle with cancer.
In the subsequent byelections in August, the NDP flipped the Coronation Park and Walsh Acres seats – with Noor Burki and Jared Clarke winning those seats, respectively – while Blaine McLeod held on to Lumsden-Morse for the Sask. Party.
The Saskatchewan Party statement about Lawrence’s decision said a nomination meeting will be held in Moose Jaw Wakamow in the coming months. So far, the party said, it has 22 candidates nominated and 12 more nominations scheduled.