Manitoba PC leader Hugh McFadyen leaving politics

Hugh McFadyen, who has led Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives for the past six years, is leaving politics for a job in Calgary.

Sources told CBC News on Wednesday that McFadyen had accepted a job with Drysdale Forstner Hamilton, a Toronto-based public relations firm.

The PC Party confirmed the news in a press release issued on Thursday.

McFadyen will be opening the company's new office in Calgary, where he will offer policy and strategic advice to businesses involved in mergers and acquisitions, but he will split his time between work and his family in Winnipeg.

"Manitoba's home. I love the province. We're going to keep our base here in Manitoba. It's a place where we want to raise our kids, and so we're going to maintain our ties here," McFadyen said Thursday.

"It's a western Canadian-based business, so my responsibility will be to cover all of western Canada, including Manitoba."

McFadyen's last day as Tory leader and as the MLA for Fort Whyte will be on July 30.

At that time, he will resign his seat in the Manitoba legislature and hand the leadership of the party over to an interim leader selected from the current Manitoba PC caucus, or to the new leader in the eventthere isan acclamation in the race to lead the party.

"The new role is one where I had to make a clean break from politics, so that was the decision," he said.

"I'll start the new job in August and certainly watch with great interest as things unfold here in Manitoba."

In the news release, McFadyen thanked everyone who has supported him during his term asTory leader, as well as his constituents in Fort Whyte, his riding in south Winnipeg.

Became leader in 2006

McFadyen, a 45-year-old former lawyer,became Progressive Conservative leaderand leader of Manitoba's Official Opposition in April 2006, after working most recently as an advisor to former leader Stuart Murray and to Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz.

But after the Tories failed to gain new seats in the Oct. 4 provincial election,McFadyen said he would step down as leaderafter a new one is chosen.

Brian Pallister, the former Portage la Prairie MLA and MP who is expected to succeed McFadyen as PC leader, told CBC News he is happy for McFadyen.

Pallister said he is sad to see "another great Manitoban leaving Manitoba, but it's an opportunity that I know he'll do well in.

"And I know that his family will enjoy probably having a little bit more access to him," he added.

Pallister has been the only candidatefor the party leadership to date, and he is widely expected to be acclaimed.

Prospective leadership candidates have until July 28 to submit their applications.

No word on byelection date

Meanwhile, a byelection will have to be called in Fort Whyte. It can be called at the discretion of the premier, up to a year after the date the seat has been vacated.

Premier Greg Selinger said on Thursday that no decision has been made on when the vote will be held.

In a written statement, Selinger paid tribute to McFadyen as a leader who could rise above political disputes.

"Whenever the time has come to put aside our partisan differences, Mr. McFadyen has been more than up to the task," he said.

The Fort Whyte seat, one of the few safe Tory areas in Winnipeg, offers an opening for Pallister, who currently does not have a legislature seat.

Pallister said McFadyen did a great job representing Fort Whyte. At the same time, he said he would consider running there in the byelection.

"I do want to take any opportunity I can to get in the house, so it is something I'd obviously consider very seriously," he said.