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Conservative Leadership Race |
Progressive Conservative Leadership Race
By Jay Makarenko
May 20th, 2003
On May 29, 2003, in Toronto, the Progressive Conservative Party will begin their convention
to elect a new leader to replace Joe Clark. Mr. Clark has served as the PC party leader
since 1998 and has experienced a rocky road, including the fight to retain party status
and the short-lived coalition with dissident members of the Canadian Alliance Party.
Leadership candidates include Scott Brison, Craig Chandler, Heward Grafftey, Peter
MacKay, Jim Prentice and David Orchard. The leader will be selected through a primary/convention
system, where individual party members elect convention delegates through a proportional
representation system, and the delegates elect a leader at the national leadership convention.
Currently, Peter MacKay is the front-runner in the leadership race with 41% of the
delegates, and David Orchard a distant second at 25%. However, third and fourth place
candidates Jim Prentice and Scott Brison have suggested that they may strike a deal
to block a MacKay victory on the second ballot. The convention outcome will hinge on
whether MacKay can hold onto his delegates after the first ballot, and which candidate
Orchard’s supporters will move too. While the leadership race may prove to be exciting,
it has nevertheless attracted little new membership. Current Progressive Conservative
membership remains lowest amongst the other national parties.
This Spotlight focuses upon the Progressive Conservative Party leadership race. Specific
topics examined include:
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- A description of the format in which a PC party leader is chosen.
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- A personal background on each of the eight candidates.
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- A detailed review of each candidate's policies on social, economic, foreign, security
and party issues.
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- A look at the delegate selection results, possible convention scenarios, and the
low member turnout.
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