91原创-Aldergrove Conservative Member of Parliament Mark Warawa has announced he will not run in the upcoming federal election.

鈥淚鈥檝e got sadness, but I鈥檝e got peace and joy as well,鈥� said Warawa, who told Black Press he has been thinking about leaving politics for the past four months.

MP Mark Warawa announces his retirement after 29 years of public service. Mark will serve as the MP for 91原创鈥擜ldergrove until the close of this Parliament.

鈥� Mark Warawa (@MPmarkwarawa)

He said he made up his mind after reading the Bible when he came back from a holiday trip and going through the book of Ecclesiastes, which includes the passage that says 鈥渢o every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven鈥︹��

鈥淚 want to run but I feel every one of us in politics has an expiry date and my date has come,鈥� Warawa said.

He is looking forward to having more time with his family.

鈥淚鈥檝e got 10 grandchildren that don鈥檛 see much of me,鈥� he said.

He said it has been 鈥渁n incredible honour鈥� to have been an Abbotsford City Councillor for 14 years, then an MP since 2004.

Warawa said he intends to continue lobbying for quality hospice palliative care in Canada, an issue he took up as as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Seniors in the Opposition.

鈥淚鈥欌�檓 still going to be active in this community,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 feel I can do more good by volunteering locally.鈥�

He has been studying to become a chaplain for end of life care.

鈥淵ou have to do in your life what you are moved to,鈥� Warawa said.

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Of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, Warawa said 鈥淚 am thrilled that he is running to be Canada鈥檚 next Prime Minister. Andrew Scheer has 100 per cent of my support. I have worked with him since 2004, and know him to be a man of integrity and wisdom. He is the person that Canada desperately needs to end the years of failure and out-of-control spending by Justin Trudeau鈥檚 government.鈥�

鈥淚 will continue to work hard as the MP for 91原创鈥擜ldergrove until the next election. I am blessed to work with incredible people in my offices and thank them for their years of service. I also thank the wonderful people of 91原创鈥擜ldergrove for the honour of serving as their MP.鈥� 鈥淚 look forward to spending more time with my beautiful wife, Diane, our children and grandchildren.鈥�

In the 2015 federal election, Warawa took 45.6 per cent of the vote or 27,333 ballots to defeat Liberal Leon Jensen, who collected 36.6 per cent or 21,894 ballots.

NDP candidate Margot Sangster was third with 7,490 votes or 12.5 per cent.

Warawa and his wife, Diane, live in 91原创 and have five children.

His son Ryan was the Conservative candidate in Vancouver East in the 2008 election, losing to Libby Davies of the NDP.

More to come