Mulroney prepared to change the Progressive Conservative platform

Caroline Mulroney is leaving the door open to changing the Progressive Conservative platform for the spring election if she’s elected party leader March 10.

Saying many Conservatives feel “left out,” Mulroney told supporters Monday night she needs more input before making any decisions on the People’s Guarantee booklet of promises rolled out in November by former leader Patrick Brown, who resigned late last month amid allegations of sexual impropriety.

“Today’s Day 1. I’m going to go out to talk to as many members as possible and find out what they’re thinking,” she added in a fireside-style chat with federal Conservative MP Lisa Raitt asking softball questions.

Queried on Brown’s promise of a carbon tax to replace Premier Kathleen Wynne’s cap-and-trade program to fight climate change, Mulroney said, “as a Conservative . . . I don’t like taxes” and noted there are two options — letting the federal government keep carbon tax revenues or letting Ontario control them.

Rules for the leadership race require candidates to support the platform but Mulroney rivals Doug Ford, a former city councillor, and former MPP Christine Elliott have both made statements opposing the carbon tax.

The Mulroney event at a Don Mills meeting hall attracted more than 250 people and politicos on a cold night.

They included MPPs John Yakabuski and Jeff Yurek along and city councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, the deputy mayor who is running in the June 7 provincial election against Liberal cabinet minister Michael Coteau in Don Valley East.

Minnan-Wong said he’s backing the daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney because “she has that star potential I think people will find very attractive.”

His dismissed Elliott’s argument that she’s battle-tested and ready after nine years as an MPP before retiring from politics in 2015.

“Christine Elliott, sure she has the experience, she has the experience of losing twice in leadership campaigns,” he added, referring to Elliott’s third-place finish behind Tim Hudak in 2009 and runner up to Brown three years ago.

Yurek said Mulroney brings “a difference” to the leadership race.

Despite her political pedigree, upbringing at 24 Sussex Drive, a Harvard education and four kids in private school, Mulroney should be able to connect with voters and is the party’s best bet to defeat Wynne, he added.

“Dealing with the day-to-day struggles of raising four kids it doesn’t matter where you come from. It’s not easy.”

Brown quit in the early morning hours of Jan. 25 hours following a CTV report accusing him of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls when he was the federal Conservative MP for Barrie.

Three days later, PC party president and Brown ally Rick Dykstra abruptly resigned over allegations of sexual assault of a Parliament Hill staffer in 2014 when he was the Conservative MP for St. Catharines, a seat he lost in the 2015 federal election.

Both men have denied the allegations, which have not been proven in court. No charges have been laid.