Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Race Megathread-May 27th 2017

[Pragmatic Conservative]

With a New Era beginning in Canada politics a New Era begins for the Canadian Conservative Party, gone is outgoing PM Stephen Harper, instead the Conservatives will be selecting a new leader to lead them for the next 4 years and beyond. Unlike past Canadian Federal Leadership Elections, their is no true single Front runner. The Convention is expected to be held in approximately 1 year. The Conservatives are expected to name an Intern leader in a week and a half.

These are the Candidates speculated in the media I have based on my own thoughts have rated them.
The Top Contenders
Jason Kenney - MP for Calgary Midnapore Alberta (1997-present), Minister of National Defence (2015), Minister for Multiculturalism (2013-2015), Minister of Employment and Social Development (2013-2015), Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2008-2013). Originally elected as a Reform Party and then Canadian Alliance MP.

Lisa Raitt - MP for Milton, Ontario (2015-present) and Halton, Ontario (2008-2015), Minister of Transport (2013-2015), Minister of Labour (2010-2013), Minister of Natural Resources (2008-2010)

Rona Ambrose - MP for Sturgeon Red RiverAlberta (2004-present), Minister of Health (2013-2015), Minister of Public Works and Government Services (2010-2013), Minister of Labour (2008-2010), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2007-2008), Minister of the Environment (2006-2007).


If they Run

Peter MacKay - MP for Pictou-Antigonish-Guysborough, Nova Scotia (1997-2004) and Central Nova, Nova Scotia (2004-2015), Minister of Justice (2013-2015), Minister of National Defence (2007-2013), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2007), Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (2003

Tony Clement - MP for Parry Sound—Muskoka, Ontario (2006-present), President of the Treasury Board (2011-2015), Minister of Industry (2008-2011), Minister of Health (2006-2008), third place candidate in the previous Conservative Party of Canada leadership election (2004), formerly an Ontario Progressive Conservative Party MPP (1995-2003) and provincial cabinet minister (1997-2003).

Kellie Leitch - MP for Simcoe—Grey, Ontario (2011-present), Minister of Labour (2013-2015)

Long Shot
Doug Ford - Toronto City Councillor (2010-2014), second place candidate in Toronto mayoral election (2014)

Michelle Rempel - MP for Calgary Nose Hill Alberta (2011-present), Minister of State (Western Economic Diversification) (2013-2015)  (Word is she is strongly considering a run http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/michelle-rempel-cpc-leadership-twitter-1.3283863

Pierre Poilievre - MP for Carleton Ontario (2004-present), Minister of Employment and Social Development (2015), Minister for Democratic Reform (2013-2015)

Michael Chong - MP for Wellington—Halton Hills, Ontario (2004-present), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2006), President of the Privy Council (2006)

Maxime Bernier - MP for Beauce, Quebec (2006-present), Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism (2011-2015), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007-2008), Minister of Industry (2006-2007)[

Will not Run

Jean Charest - Premier of Quebec (2003-2012), Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (1998-2012), Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (1993-1998), Deputy Prime Minister of Canada (1993), Minister of the Environment (1991-1993), MP for Sherbrooke (1984-1998) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/jean-charest-wont-be-a-candidate-to-succeed-stephen-harper-1.3283358


Christy Clark - Premier of British Columbia (2011-present), Leader of the B.C. Liberal Party (2011-present) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-premier-christy-clark-reacts-election-win-liberals-justin-trudeau-1.3280487

Bernard Lord - Premier of New Brunswick (1999-2006), Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick (1997-2006)http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/bernard-lord-leadership-conservatives-1.3282543

Brad Wall - Premier of Saskatchewan (2007-present), Leader of the Saskatchewan Party (2004-present)http://www.leaderpost.com/news/premier+brad+wall+says+conservative+leadership/11453098/story.html

John Baird - MP for Ottawa West—Nepean, Ontario (2006-2015), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2011-2015), Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (2010-2011), Minister of the Environment (2007-2008, 2010-2011), Minister of Transport (2008-2010), President of the Treasury Board, (2006-2007), formerly an Ontario Progressive Conservative Party MPP (1995-2005) and provincial cabinet minister (1999-2003).http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/john-baird-will-not-seek-leadership-of-conservative-party-of-canada-537088601.html

Rona Ambrose - MP for Sturgeon Red RiverAlberta (2004-present), Minister of Health (2013-2015), Minister of Public Works and Government Services (2010-2013), Minister of Labour (2008-2010), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (2007-2008), Minister of the Environment (2006-2007).(In-term Leader, ineligible to run)


I Copied the contenders profiles from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Conservative_Party_of_Canada_leadership_election

[MaxQue]

Well, redistricting changed a few ridings.

Kenney now represents Calgary Midnapore, Ambrose represents Sturgeon River-Parkland, Rempel represents Calgary Nose Hill and Poilievre is representing Carleton (no more Nepean)

[cp]

Seems like the opening salvos have already been launched. Not an auspicious start to a leadership contest, it must be said.

Conservative Caucus Unrest Mounts

[RogueBeaver]

Rempel is running for interim, backed by LeBel, and seems to think it's a done deal. Not happy that someone so underqualified would get the leader's post.

[136or142]

Rempel is running for interim, backed by LeBel, and seems to think it's a done deal. Not happy that someone so underqualified would get the leader's post.

She'd be better than Diane Finley.  She was interviewed on "The House" yesterday and she repeated the nonsense about 25,000 refugees from Syria coming to Canada by the end of the year constituting a 'wave of undocumented refugees' that Canadians need to be frightened of. 

For one thing, Canada accepts nearly 25,000 immigrants a month. So processing 25,000 refugees over two months shouldn't be something that isn't doable.  If it does prove to be infeasible though, I think the vast majority of people who voted Liberal, NDP or Green would be satisfied if the government had at least started the processing of 25,000 refugees provided that those refugees weren't gong to have to wait for many months before they could come to Canada.

She also made one other extreme right wing comment in that interview, but I forget what it was.

Given the election results and the rejection by the vast majority of Canadians to the Conservative Party 'be very afraid' campaign, I'd say she'd be a terrible choice for Conservative Party interim leader.

[136or142]

The other name mentioned initially as interim leader was outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson.  But, as was mentioned at the time he got that portfolio, he doesn't speak French.

I would suggest Peter Van Loan as interim leader.  He was the Government House leader which meant he was effectively the Chief Operating Officer and, I would suspect that he needed to speak French in order to have been appointed that.  I also don't think he's interested in running for the full leadership job.

[DC Al Fine]

Rempel is running for interim, backed by LeBel, and seems to think it's a done deal. Not happy that someone so underqualified would get the leader's post.

Between that and her little Twitter outburst, she seems to not have the best judgement. FInley is the best candidate if we need to choose a woman/minority.

The other name mentioned initially as interim leader was outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson.  But, as was mentioned at the time he got that portfolio, he doesn't speak French.

I would suggest Peter Van Loan as interim leader.  He was the Government House leader which meant he was effectively the Chief Operating Officer and, I would suspect that he needed to speak French in order to have been appointed that.  I also don't think he's interested in running for the full leadership job.

VanLoan is a bit of a bulldog IIRC. Might not be the best for setting the less confrontational tone everyone is talking about.

[Barnes]

Yeah, van Loan is certainly not a moderate choice.

[136or142]

Rempel is running for interim, backed by LeBel, and seems to think it's a done deal. Not happy that someone so underqualified would get the leader's post.

Between that and her little Twitter outburst, she seems to not have the best judgement. FInley is the best candidate if we need to choose a woman/minority.

The other name mentioned initially as interim leader was outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson.  But, as was mentioned at the time he got that portfolio, he doesn't speak French.

I would suggest Peter Van Loan as interim leader.  He was the Government House leader which meant he was effectively the Chief Operating Officer and, I would suspect that he needed to speak French in order to have been appointed that.  I also don't think he's interested in running for the full leadership job.

VanLoan is a bit of a bulldog IIRC. Might not be the best for setting the less confrontational tone everyone is talking about.

I've heard that, but he'd have to have at least somewhat worked with the opposition House Leaders to do his job.  At this point I'd give him the benefit of the doubt that he can do a Baird and go from being a pit bull to a statesman almost immediately once he got the Foreign Affairs job.

[adma]

Actually. IIRC Van Loan comes from the PC rather than the Reform/Alliance camp.  Just saying.

[King of Kensington]

"Red Tories" seek to prevent Reform/Alliance wing from taking over party

Baird pondering a run for the leadership

[RogueBeaver]

Baird isn't running. Also LOL Reds.

[King of Kensington]

The term "Red Tory" is now meaningless (Kellie Leitch?)

[Vega]

I imagine the chances for MacKay to run are pretty low. He's young enough to do it, though.

[King of Kensington]

Actually. IIRC Van Loan comes from the PC rather than the Reform/Alliance camp.  Just saying.

He also has an anti-abortion voting record.

[Pragmatic Conservative]

Rempel is running for interim, backed by LeBel, and seems to think it's a done deal. Not happy that someone so underqualified would get the leader's post.

Erin O Toole Running for Interim  Leadership
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/10/26/former-cabinet-minister-erin-o-toole-eyes-conservative-interim-leadership_n_8389266.html

[King of Kensington]

Conservative MPs calling on party to hold leadership convention in spring 2017.

[Hatman 🍁]

Baird isn't running. Also LOL Reds.

Ignore the reds at your own peril. If Trudeau brings in AV, then there's no way the Tories will win another majority with someone as conservative as Harper.

[RogueBeaver]

Ambrose running for interim, Bernier and Poilievre considering permanent.

[2952-0-0]

I hope Poilievre becomes leader. Both as someone who detests his ex-boss and someone concerned for Canada's democracy.

[RogueBeaver]

Mike Lake is running for interim.

[RogueBeaver]

Ambrose is interim.

[DC Al Fine]

Ambrose is interim.

Fair enough.

[136or142]

Ambrose is interim.

Fair enough.

Ambrose may not be as bad as the noxious Pierre Polievre, but she's still on the freak show side of the Conservative Party. She was a goofy 'reefer madness' promoter and a dissembler on other illegal drugs during her time as health minister, and as environment minister, no doubt under the orders of Harper, essentially did nothing.

With her as the interim leader, I'd say the credible opposition will come from the NDP.

That said, maybe she'll surprise us with an attitude of 'free at last,  free at least, thank God Almighty, Free at last.'

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I would've preferred Finley.