Candice Bergen, former interim Conservative leader, resigning from Parliament

Candice Bergen rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Candice Bergen, the former interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, is resigning from Parliament.

In a video announcement posted on Twitter, Bergen said she submitted her letter of resignation on Wednesday.

She thanked her constituents, colleagues and family as she marked the end of her “incredible and very fulfilling 14 years” as an MP.

“I’m choosing to leave now not because I’m tired or I’ve run out of steam. In fact, it’s the exact opposite,” she said in the video. “I feel hopeful and re-energized.”

Bergen said she is optimistic about the future of the “strong and united” Conservative Party under the “courageous and principled leadership” of Pierre Poilievre.

She had previously said that she would not be running in the next federal election.

She has represented the Manitoba riding of Portage—Lisgar since 2008.

Bergen was named interim Conservative leader in February 2022, after the party voted to oust Erin O’Toole as leader.

Bergen was previously a cabinet minister in Stephen Harper’s government and served as Opposition House leader under then-interim party leader Rona Ambrose.