Manitoba MP quits, takes top job at rail company

A Tory MP announced he was resigning from Parliament the same day as accepting a position at an international rail company.

Manitoba MP Merv Tweed announced he would step down from his seat on Monday. Tweed, the MP for the Brandon-Souris area, announced his resignation on his website, telling constituents he planned to leave office at the end of the month to "pursue opportunities in the private sector."

Several hours later, OmniTrax Canada, a rail services company, announced they were hiring Tweed as their president.

The company owns and operates the Port of Churchill, a deep-water port in Canadas arctic.

Tweed chaired Parliaments standing committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities until about six months ago but told reporters Monday afternoon he did not believe there was a conflict of interest in taking the position with OmniTrax.

The Tory MP was appointed chair of the committee in 2011 and was first elected as an MP for Brandon-Souris in 2004.

Tweeds official last day as an MP will be Aug. 31.

His resignation follows just weeks after another Conservative MP from Manitoba called it quits. In July,former public safety minister Vic Toews announced he was leaving parliament.

A by-election to replace Tweed has not yet been scheduled.