Saskatchewan New Democratic Party Leader Dwain Lingenfelter was nominated Monday as the candidate for the Party in the upcoming Regina Douglas Park byelection.

He was selected by acclamation by a crowd of more than 200 people.

Lingenfelter, who was elected Saskatchewan NDP Leader June 6 of this year, has a long history of service to the Party and to the Province of Saskatchewan.  He first served as an MLA for Shaunavon from 1978 to 1986, and was re-elected as MLA for Regina Elphinstone in 1988, a seat he held until resigning in 2000.  He has served as Minister of Social Services, Economic Development, Agriculture, and the Crown Investments Corporation.  He has held the position of House Leader in both Government and Opposition Caucuses, and served as Deputy Premier of Saskatchewan from 1995 to 2000.

In 2000, he left politics to take up a position of Vice President of a major Canadian energy company. Lingenfelter was born on a farm in Shaunavon, where he and his family still own and operate a ranch.  He obtained a Bachelor of Political Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

He has been very active in his community, including Past President of the Canada Arab Business Council, a Board Member of the Nature Conservatory of Canada and a member of the Mexico-Canada Energy Working Group Committee.

Lingenfelter and his wife Rubiela have five children in a blended family.

"I welcome this opportunity to bring our Party's message to the people of Douglas Park and of Saskatchewan," Lingenfelter said.  "While our province is indeed experiencing prosperous times, many people, such as farmers, students, working men and women, Seniors and the economically-challenged are not seeing that prosperity.  We will be the voice of fair and equal treatment."

The Regina Douglas Park seat became open with the resignation of six-term NDP MLA Harry Van Mulligen.  The date for a byelection has not yet been set.