Sask. Party member seeks federal Conservative nomination for Souris Moose-Mountain

MLA Steven Bonk seeking federal nomination WATCH: Sask Party Moosomin MLA Steven Bonk will not be seeking re-election in order to seek a federal conservative nomination.

Saskatchewan Party MLA Steven Bonk has announced he will not seek re-election this fall — setting his sights on a federal nomination.

“To pursue this goal, I need to focus singularly on the task ahead. Out of respect for the voters in my provincial constituency, I am also announcing that I will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming provincial election,” he said in the announcement.

Bonk is now seeking the Conservative nomination for Souris-Moose Mountain constituency. Conservative MP Dr. Robert Kitchen currently holds the seat, but recently announced his departure.

Bonk has served as the MLA for Moosomin since 2016. During his time at the legislature, he served as Minister of the Economy and Minister responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan, Innovation and Trade in addition to serving on several committees and the provincial treasury board.

“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of the Moosomin constituency for placing their trust in me by electing me in the past two provincial elections,” Bonk said in the announcement.

“Your support has been the cornerstone of my public service, and I am deeply honored by the confidence you have shown in my leadership.”

Prior to his time in the legislature, Bonk worked on four continents as a consultant in agricultural management and policy development.

He lived in Europe for almost a decade while he was a managing director of livestock-based enterprises. During that time, he served as a management consultant to help companies grow and solve problems posed by the transition to a free market economy — particularly in post-Soviet countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

He speaks four languages and is actively involved in his family’s custom grazing and livestock business near Wolseley.

Bonk is the latest in a long line of Sask. Party MLAs who have announced they will not be seeking re-election this fall.