Ont. Tories to elect permanent leader

TORONTO Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives will hold a leadership race to replace Patrick Brown, who resigned this week in the face of sexual misconduct allegations.

Party officials and members are downplaying the risk it will create divisions within the party ahead of a spring provincial election.

The party’s executive voted late Friday afternoon to hold the race and select a new leader sometime before March. The move will please some candidates and grassroots party members who insisted they should have a direct say in the leadership decision but runs contrary to the wishes of the party’s caucus, which named Tory finance critic Vic Fedeli as interim leader earlier in the day.

The caucus of elected legislators wanted Fedeli to lead the party through the election to avoid a divisive, and potentially costly, race.

Party president Rick Dykstra said the executive has not yet established a firm time frame for the race but conceded it will be a challenge.

“This will be a very aggressive time frame,” he said. “Look ... this is going to have to be a very quick process.”

Dykstra said the party will form a committee to set up and oversee the leadership race. He insisted that the PCs can remain united throughout the contest.

“At the end of the day this party always stands united, always stands focused and I can assure you that when this is finished before the end of March, we will be ready to take on government in June of 2018,” he said.