Jim McCrae, who was a Manitoba cabinet minister for 11 years, says he is returning to his roots by running for Brandon council — in the same ward where he first entered politics in 1983.

McCrae announced Monday that he plans to run as a councillor in the city's Meadows ward. There will be municipal elections held across the province on Oct. 25.

While McCrae currently lives in another part of the city, he pointed out on Monday that he had represented people in the ward for 13 years as a provincial MLA.

He told reporters his involvement in the area even preceded his political career.

"I delivered papers in Meadows ward and in University ward," he said.

"I grew up here, I went to school in Meadows ward. My children did. Now, my grandson is doing that too."

McCrae was first elected MLA for the Brandon West riding in 1986.

He served as justice minister and attorney general, health minister and education minister in Gary Filmon's Progressive Conservative government from 1988 to 1999.

He lost his seat to the NDP's Scott Smith in the 1999 provincial election.

McCrae's last venture into politics was in 2002, when he lost a bid for Brandon mayor to Dave Burgess.