Ontario Tories to choose new leader in June
MARIA BABBAGE
The Canadian Press
March 22, 2009 at 3:32 PM EDT
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../politics/home
TORONTO — Ontario's Progressive Conservatives will choose a new leader in June at a convention in Markham, north of Toronto.
Party president Ken Zeise confirmed the date and location following a five-hour meeting with the party executive.
The rules of the leadership battle were also expected to be finalized today by the party's executive, effectively firing off the starting pistol in the race to succeed John Tory.
But controversy is already brewing over the date of the leadership convention.
The party executive wants to select a new leader before July, but many Conservatives sitting in the provincial legislature — including Elizabeth Witmer, Frank Klees and Randy Hillier — want a longer race.
Ms. Witmer, who decided Friday not to take another run at the leadership, said candidates need more time to build both a platform and expand the party's base.
“I think that is absolutely critical,” Ms. Witmer said in a recent interview. “We have to enlarge the tent.”
It will also be difficult for any sitting Conservative to juggle a province-wide leadership race with their duties in the legislature, said Mr. Klees.
“We have a small caucus. There are responsibilities here in the legislature,” Mr. Klees, who serves as caucus chairman, said Friday.
“And to have potential candidates either not in the house or handicapped to what essentially will be seven weekends to campaign across the province — in my opinion and, I might add, in the opinion of a number of other caucus members — is not a fair process.”
Tim Hudak, Christine Elliott, Mr. Hillier and Mr. Klees are among the elected provincial Conservatives who are considering a bid for the top job.
The job came open when Tory announced he would step down following a by-election defeat earlier this month in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. Mr. Tory had been without a seat in the legislature since the October 2007 provincial election, which fuelled dissent over his ability to lead the party.
A few federal ministers are rumoured to be testing the waters for a jump to the provincial party, including Human Resources Minister Diane Finley and Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan.
Aides to both Ms. Finley and Mr. Van Loan — a past president of the Ontario party — have down-played speculation that either minister is looking to jump into provincial politics.
“While Minister Finley is very flattered by the suggestion, she herself has said that her only priority right now is to the Conservative government as Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development to help deliver Canada's Economic Action Plan,” said Julie Vaux, a spokeswoman for Finley.
“The minister believes it is essential that people receive the support they need quickly in these difficult economic times.”
Interim provincial leader Bob Runciman said the party's rank-and-file would be “uncomfortable” with a leader who doesn't already have a seat in the legislature.
“You can't, I guess, close the door on that as a possibility,” he said Friday.
“But I think it would be a challenge for anyone to overcome those concerns within the party, given what's happened over the past year-and-a-half.”
There are already signs that the leadership race may end up becoming an ideological battle for control of the party.
Much of the right-wing support seems to be swinging towards Mr. Hudak, who has reportedly received the blessing of former premier Mike Harris — a hero to the party's most devout conservatives.
Mr. Hudak, the party's finance critic, served in Mr. Harris's cabinet and is married to his former chief of staff, Deb Hutton. He has remained tight lipped about his plans, but has hinted that any announcement would come after the March 26 budget.
Much of the rural vote — a historic base of support for the provincial party — might be siphoned off by outspoken rookie Randy Hillier if he throws his hat in the ring.
It's unclear who might win support from the party's more centrist “Red Tories,” whose influence may be waning after Tory's unsuccessful run as leader.
Christine Elliott, who is married to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, seems to be positioning herself as the candidate with the biggest tent.
A self-described “consensus builder,” the lawyer and mother of triplet sons has spoken of the need to pull the party together ahead of the next provincial election in 2011.
Both Mr. Tory and Mr. Runciman have said they will remain neutral in the race.