Friday January 3, 2020 ~ NATIONAL
~ West Shore Voice News
The Conservative Party of Canada’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) has decided the party’s leadership race will end on June 27, 2020. The new leader to be announced that day in Toronto at the Toronto Congress Centre.
“The LEOC has heard from members from across Canada that wanted a shorter leadership election, and this date provides the right amount of time we need to successfully administer this election, while ensuring we recognize the realities of a minority Parliament,” said Dan Nowlan, Co-Chair of LEOC, in a media release issued January 3.
The current leader Andrew Scheer — who led his party to a majority of the popular vote but not the majority of seats in the House of Commons — announced in December that he is stepping down. He will stay on as leader until a new leader is chosen by party membership.
“With this timeline, and when our eventual rules come into place, leadership candidates are going to have their organizational abilities tested, and be given the opportunity to show how they’re ready to take on the tough job of being Prime Minister. This is going to be an exciting and competitive race,” said Lisa Raitt, Co-Chair of LEOC.
In order to vote in the Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership election, a person must hold a valid Conservative Party membership. The Party says that it encourages anyone interested in voting in the leadership election to purchase or renew their membership now to ensure they are eligible to vote when voting opens.
Other decisions surrounding the rules, the candidate application, and other items will be discussed among the LEOC in the coming weeks, with announcements made accordingly.