Tory MPs aim to ‘draft’ Ambrose
Tories happy with showing as interim leader
OTTAWA • A Draft Rona Ambrose movement has been launched by a group of Conservative MPs who are attempting to amend the party’s constitution to allow the interim leader to seek the permanent leadership.
Scott Reid, the six-term Ontario MP, is behind the effort to overturn the article in the constitution that blocks the interim head from becoming a candidate.
“I supported her for interim leader because I thought she was the best candidate, but she has performed beyond any expectations I could have had,” he said. “She hasn’t made a significant mis-step.”
The campaign has the support of a number of Conservatives, including MPs Shannon Stubbs and Pierre Poilievre.
“She is demonstrating consistently her ability to tie together the many branches of our party’s family tree,” said Stubbs, the MP for Lakeland in Alberta. “She has a knack for both setting out direction and vision, and for engaging and listening to colleagues and members. I believe that aptitude is a critical quality for our leader at this time.”
Poilievre said it is too early for him to endorse any candidate but said Ambrose has performed “brilliantly” and the party should not exclude someone who has shown “undeniable merit.”
The two MPs are not alone in their evaluation of the interim leader’s performance; a Mainstreet poll for Postmedia this week found 26 per cent of selfdescribed Conservative supporters would vote for Ambrose, ahead of other potential candidates such as Kevin O’Leary, Peter MacKay, Tony Clement and Jason Kenney.
Maxime Bernier and Kellie Leitch are the only declared candidates, while Michael Chong is expected to announce his candidacy in the near future.
The 47-year-old Alberta MP was elected to temporarily replace Stephen Harper in November, beating seven of her colleagues in a caucus vote.
Reid’s attempt is not being made at Ambrose’s behest, he said, but is recognition of her strong performance as interim leader.
He said she has struck the “right tone” in the House of Commons and deftly handled the internal politics of leadership.
The biggest hurdle Reid may have to overcome is convincing Ambrose to go for the top job. When she was asked before Christmas, she said she definitely had no intention to seek the permanent leadership. “That’s why I ran for interim leader — to support those who want to run,” she said.
People close to her say she has not changed her mind.
But when asked directly Friday, her answer did not explicitly rule out a bid. “I am very proud to see that Canadians are responding to our message. It means we are on the right track and I’m going to keep working hard until our new leader is selected and will do everything I can to make sure they succeed,” she said.
Reid said the constitutional amendment requires the support of at least 100 delegates from 100 ridings to make it to the floor at the party’s convention in Vancouver in May. Once there, it must get majority support at a constitutional breakout session, and then again at the plenary session when all delegates are gathered.
He said he thought the technical hurdles are “easily surmountable.”
“If they weren’t, it would mean that it wasn’t a good idea to start with. I think there will be a great deal of enthusiasm,” he said.
The amendment would call on Ambrose to step down as interim leader six months before the leadership vote in May 2017.
The move may not be universally popular, particularly among other candidates and their supporters.
When Bob Rae was interim Liberal leader and mulling a permanent leadership bid, there were concerns among potential rivals that he was using the interim role, with its guaranteed media access, as an unfair platform for a future leadership bid. Ultimately, he decided not to run against Justin Trudeau.
But Reid said the situation with Ambrose is unlikely to invite similar criticism. “Perhaps if she had sought the interim leadership with a view to running permanently, but that’s not the case. As it is, she’s the only adult citizen of Canada who is ineligible. Justin Trudeau could run for our leadership. So could Thomas Mulcair, or Stephen Harper. But Rona can’t.”
SHE IS DEMONSTRATING CONSISTENTLY HER ABILITY TO TIE TOGETHER THE MANY BRANCHES OF OUR PARTY’S FAMILY TREE. — CONSERVATIVE MP SHANNON STUBBS SHE HAS A KNACK FOR SETTING OUT DIRECTION AND VISION.