OTTAWA — Longtime Conservative Member of Parliament Cathay Wagantall announced Wednesday that she will resign from her Yorkton-Melville seat effective August 31, 2026, accelerating her departure from federal politics earlier than originally anticipated.
Delivering her final address in the House of Commons, Wagantall, who has represented the southeastern Saskatchewan riding since 2015, confirmed she is cutting her term short. While she had previously stated she would not run in the next federal election, her initial plan was to serve out the remainder of her term. She did not specify a reason for her fast-tracked exit.
A significant portion of her farewell speech was dedicated to praising Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, whom she described as “amazing.” Her early retirement will leave a vacancy in the House, triggering a mandatory byelection in Yorkton-Melville, a deep-blue riding that has consistently supported the Conservatives and their reform predecessors for over three decades. Local Conservatives have already selected Nelson Pohl as their candidate of record for the next election.
Throughout her eleven-year tenure in Parliament, Wagantall was widely recognized for her socially conservative advocacy. She frequently championed legislative measures addressing violence against pregnant women, including Cassie and Molly’s Law in 2016, as well as a separate private member’s bill aimed at banning sex-selective abortions, though none successfully passed into law.
Wagantall also drew considerable national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was barred from entering Parliament Hill for refusing to disclose her vaccination status. In her speech, she firmly stood by her actions, stating, “I wasn’t allowed to do my job on this hill because I wouldn’t share my status.”
As a dedicated member of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, she closed her legislative chapter by highlighting the struggles of homeless veterans couch-surfing in Regina and Saskatoon, urging Ottawa to provide stronger local support frameworks. A date for the upcoming byelection has not yet been set by Elections Canada.
