After 14 years, Candice Bergen has resigned her position as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Portage-Lisgar. Bergen confirmed the news in a post to social media on Wednesday. 
    
Since elected in 2008, Bergen has served interim leader and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, as well as leader of the Opposition.
    
In a video posted to social media, Bergen says her resignation marks the ending of an incredible and very fulfilling 14 years serving her party, caucus and country.

"First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart to my constituents,” said Bergen. “The people of Portage-Lisgar who have allowed me to be their voice in the House of Commons and in Ottawa for all of these years. Thank you also to my beautiful family. Thank you to so many volunteers and to so many staff who have helped me, who have been my teammates along this journey. You've made my life richer by the way that you have served me, by the way that you have taught me, and I'm just so grateful that you have walked alongside me.  

Thank you also to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Regardless of your political stripe, I'm really proud of the work that we do here and I'm going to miss this place.  

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. I feel hopeful and re-energized. Hopeful for our strong and united Conservative party and our caucus under the courageous and principled leadership of my friend Pierre Poilievre.  

I feel honored and respected by my fellow Conservative colleagues and by so many of you, my fellow Canadians, who have reached out to me in emails or in calls, or when I see you out and about. You have been kind and so encouraging. I'm more energized than ever and I'm optimistic and excited for the future.  

And as my husband Michael likes to remind me, life is 10%, what happens to you and 90% how you respond, and so with God's grace and God's help, I believe that the best is yet to come.  

Thank you so much. Portage Lisgar and thank you, Canada."

Bergen's resignation means there will be a by-election in the riding.
    
Bergen announced last fall that she would not seek re-election in the next federal general election.