Names in the mix: a list of potential Conservative leadership contenders

Jan 29, 2020 | 12:21 PM

OTTAWA — The Conservative leadership race is underway and the deadline to register as a candidate and meet the first round of requirements is Feb. 27.

These candidates are officially registered with the party:

— Peter MacKay: former Progressive Conservative leader, Conservative cabinet minister and longtime MP from Nova Scotia, who now lives in Toronto.

These candidates have submitted their applications to the party:

— Marilyn Gladu: Conservative MP for Ontario riding of Sarnia-Lambton, formerly a professional engineer.

— Erin O’Toole: former Conservative cabinet minister and current MP from the Toronto-area riding of Durham. Ran in the 2017 race.

These candidates have declared they intend to run:

— Richard Decarie: political aide under former Conservative leader Stephen Harper while in opposition, helped run Harper’s Quebec operations.

— Jim Karahalios: Ontario lawyer, led a fight in that province to get the carbon tax out of former PC Party leader Patrick Brown’s platform.

— Leslyn Lewis: Ontario lawyer.

— Rick Peterson: Alberta businessman, candidate in 2017 leadership campaign.

— Aron Seal: former director of policy for two Conservative cabinet ministers.

— Bobby Singh: entrepreneur and Conservative candidate in 2019 election in riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park.

— Derek Sloan: Conservative MP for the Ontario riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington.

Others, in alphabetical order, who are considering bids:

— Candice Bergen: Conservative MP from Manitoba, current Opposition House Leader.

— Michelle Rempel Garner: Conservative MP for the riding of Calgary Nose Hill.

— Rudy Husny: longtime Quebec operative for the Conservative party, and businessman.

— Vincenzo Guzzo: movie-theatre mogul from Quebec who also stars in the reality-TV program “Dragons’ Den.”

— John Williamson: Conservative MP from New Brunswick, former head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press