Aaron Kienle, who has sat as Yorkton Mayor since 2024, is looking at higher office.
Kienle has told Yorkton This Week that he will be taking up the Liberal mantle in the by-election in the Yorkton -Melville riding – expected to be called soon.
“We deserve the strongest possible voice,” he said, adding that voice has been lacking.
“We’ve been doing the same thing for many, many years, and we’re not seeing the results we need.”
Kienle said he believes he can make a difference.
“It’s about doing the right thing for Yorkton and the constituency,” he said.
Kienle said he believes it is the time to have a voice at the table of the government, something he said he has come to realize is critical as he has travelled to Ottawa to lobby for funding for Yorkton.
Being at the table is the most direct avenue to advocating for local and regional needs, he said.
“It’s building those relationships,” he said, adding in his efforts in the nation’s capital he has seen those pay off for the city with more than $36 million from the federal and provincial governments flowing to the city for wastewater treatment facility upgrades.
Kienle said he wants to put similar efforts into supporting community needs across the constituency as a member of the government.
“You’re better heard by the government from inside the government,” said Kienle.
Certainly, it will be an uphill battle as the riding has long sent a Conservative MP and prior to that it was the realm of Lorne Nystrom of the NDP.
“It’s not lost on me it’s a very well held Conservative seat,” said Kienle.
But he also calls the upcoming by-election “a really unique time” in terms of politics in the sense whatever happens here will not change who the Prime Minister is, or what party holds power.
So, it comes down to local voters simple casting ballots to determine “who represents us,” said Kienle, adding that affords constituency voters a rare opportunity to put someone at the table of government without upsetting the status quo in Parliament.
“This is an opportunity for Yorkton-Melville to have representation in government,” said Kienle.
There is also the reality of the riding being far larger than Yorkton where Kienle is recognizable from time on Council.
So, he needs to campaign.
“I think it’s going to be incredibly important to have boots on the ground,” he said, adding once the Prime Minister announces the by-election, he will take a leave from Council to make his federal run.
It is also a constituency where Kienle said he has also lived – noting his grandfather even settled at Quill Lakes after emigrating from Germany.
“It’s really exciting to be able to give back to more than Yorkton,” he said.
The upcoming by-election is necessitated by the decision earlier this year by Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall to step down. Nelson Pohl has since been nominated by the Conservatives.
