Manitoba Secretary of Natural Resources and Northern Development Scott Fielding is stepping down and leaving the government.
Fielding, who also serves as the minister responsible for Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries and is the MLA for Kirkfield Park, is leaving to seek private sector opportunities, Prime Minister Heather Stephenson said in a press release Monday.
“My time in politics has been incredibly rewarding, but after 15 years as provincial cabinet minister and city councilor, it’s time to take on a new challenge and opportunity,” Fielding said.
Monday is his last day as cabinet minister. He will retire as an MLA over the next two weeks.
Indigenous Reconciliation and Relations Minister Alan Lagimodier will temporarily take over Fielding’s portfolios until a deputy is appointed.
“I want to thank Scott Fielding from the bottom of my heart for his dedication and over seven years of service as a cabinet member working to improve the lives of all Manitoba people,” Stephenson said in a press release.
Main roles in the computer room
Fielding was first elected in 2016 and was previously Minister of the Family and later Minister of Finance.
He was in charge of Manitoba’s books when the government successfully bridged hundreds of millions of dollars. The province is balancing the budget for a short time before the pandemic imposes new costs, including several pandemic relief programs, such as periodic grants for business owners.
During his tenure as finance minister, Fielding also fulfilled the Tories’ signed campaign promise to reduce the PST to seven percent.
Former Treasury Secretary Scott Fielding raises a copy of the budget speech after unveiling the government’s 2021 spending plan (Kevin King / The Canadian Press)
He briefly toyed with the idea of running for office when former Prime Minister Brian Palister resigned in 2021.
Prior to running for the province, Fielding was Winnipeg City Councilor in the St. James-Brooklands area from 2006 to 2014. He spent five of those years as a member of the executive committee of former Mayor Sam Katz.
His time as chairman of the finance council served as a prelude to his work as provincial finance minister.
Fielding left the EPC a year before leaving the council, citing Katz’s “unprecedented mismanagement” of the city.
He declined media interviews on Monday.
Sinking popularity
Christopher Adams, an associate professor of political research at the University of Manitoba, said many political observers expected government lawmakers to start resigning, given the Progressive Conservative Party’s declining popularity.
“[Fielding] “He probably looked to the future, as someone does for his career, and saw that computers are unlikely to hold on to power after the 2023 election,” Adams said. “We can see a few others do that next year.”
A similar scenario went through the NDP before they were removed from power in 2016.
New issues of Probe Research are expected to be released soon, and they are likely to reveal a continuing misfortune for computers, he said.
“The figures don’t look very good, especially in Winnipeg, where there are more than 20 [percentage] points behind the NDP, ”Adams said, noting that the city and surrounding dormitory communities make up more than half of the seats in the provincial assembly.
Although Fielding’s seat once belonged to the NDP, it was quite safe for RS – it won 53 percent of the vote in the 2016 election and 50 percent in 2019.
He would probably stay in the party, but perhaps the idea of being a member of the opposition, not a ruling party, was not so appealing to Fielding, Adams suggested.
He said Fielding, who has held senior positions as MPP and whose name emerged as a contender for the party’s leadership, would be appreciated by many private sector organizations.
As for his constituents?
“People can say it’s too early, he didn’t have to jump, he leaves people in trouble while riding,” Adams said.
“But I would say that you can look at it differently, that if he retires now, we will see a by-election before the next provincial election.” [and] they will probably win. “
Public service is extremely important, but it also means making great sacrifices for family life. I really look forward to spending more time with my family and friends as I begin a new chapter in my life.
Scott Fielding pic.twitter.com/8qdhjwfk4l
– @ MinFielding
This in turn gives rise to personal computers before the provincial elections in October 2023, and voters will be introduced to the new member.
Provincial by-laws require by-elections to be held within six months of the release on the spot, unless the first general election is held.
Adams expects Fielding to be remembered as a competent politician and someone who will probably not be out of the spotlight for long.
“I think there will be people who will look for him to run again, if not provincially, then maybe federally in the coming years.
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