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2015 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election

The 2015 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election was held on May 9, 2015, as a result of the resignation of Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak following the provincial election on June 12, 2014, his second loss in a row as party leader. Patrick Brown won the leadership with 61.8% of votes allocated, defeating Christine Elliott who had 38.2%.

Rules and procedure

The party's 76,587 members were eligible to cast votes by preferential ballot. The vote will be weighted so that each of the province's 107 ridings that has more than 100 votes cast are allocated 100 electoral votes; ridings in which fewer than 100 party members vote will not be weighted, but will instead have the votes counted as individual votes. If at least 100 members votes in each riding the number of electoral college votes needed to win will be 5,351. The registration fee was $75,000 plus a refundable deposit of $25,000 and the spending limit was $1.25 million. 20% of money raised by candidates after the first $100,000 will be transferred to the PC Ontario Fund. The lowest ranked candidate will be dropped from the next round as ballots are counted, and the first candidate to get 50 per cent of the votes will be declared the new leader.

Timeline

  • June 12, 2014: General election results in the incumbent Liberals, led by Kathleen Wynne, being re-elected with a majority government and the Progressive Conservatives losing 9 seats. Party leader Tim Hudak announces his intention to resign as leader following the selection of his successor.
  • June 16, 2014: Progressive Conservative caucus meets with a majority of MPPs asking Hudak to resign immediately.
  • June 18, 2014: Hudak announces to the Progressive Conservative caucus that he will resign effective July 2, 2014.
  • June 25, 2014: Christine Elliott announces her bid for the leadership of the Ontario PC Party.
  • July 2, 2014: Ontario legislature convenes; Hudak's resignation will take effect; Progressive Conservative caucus chooses Jim Wilson as interim leader.
  • July 5, 2014: The Progressive Conservative executive met to discuss the leadership and appointed a committee to consult the party membership and then draft recommendations for leadership campaign rules and propose a date for the election.
  • Early August 2014: Party committee reports back to the executive with its proposals.
  • August 9, 2014: Party executive announces that the leadership election will occur no earlier than April 1, 2015 and no later than May 31, 2015. The planning committee is given an additional six weeks to consult with party members on the rules of the election.
  • September 17, 2014: Monte McNaughton declares his candidacy.
  • September 21, 2014: Planning committee reports back to executive.
  • September 24, 2014: Vic Fedeli declares his candidacy.
  • September 28, 2014: Patrick Brown declares his candidacy.
  • October 6, 2014: Lisa MacLeod declares her candidacy.
  • November 8, 2014: Official campaign period begins.
  • November 24, 2014: All-candidates debate in Sudbury.
  • January 26, 2015: All-candidates debate in London.
  • January 30, 2015 at 12 pm: Deadline for candidates to file nomination papers and pay first installment of $75,000 registration fee and $25,000 deposit.
  • February 4, 2015: Fedeli withdraws from contest.
  • February 6, 2015: MacLeod withdraws; final non-refundable $50,000 installment of candidate entry fee is due.
  • February 11, 2015: All-candidates debate in Ottawa.
  • February 28, 2015: Date by which one must become a member of the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership election.
  • April 9, 2015: McNaughton withdraws; endorses Brown.
  • May 1, 2015: Televised debate on TVO in Toronto
  • May 3 & 7, 2015: Members cast preferential ballot for leader.
  • May 8–9, 2015: Ballots counted.
  • May 9, 2015: Results announced, riding by riding, between 10 am and noon at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Interim leadership

The following MPPs stood in the July 2, 2014, election by caucus to be interim leader of the party until the leadership election for a permanent leader is held:

Jim Wilson was elected by caucus to be interim leader and also assumed the position of Leader of the Opposition. Vote totals were not released.

Declared candidates

Patrick Brown

Background

Federal Conservative Party MP for Barrie (2006–2015), Barrie City Councillor (2000–2006), President of the Progressive Conservative Youth Federation (PCYF) (1998–2002). Former vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. Lawyer by profession.

Date candidacy declared: September 28, 2014
Supporters

Christine Elliott

Background

MPP since 2006 (Whitby—Ajax (2006–2007), Whitby—Oshawa (2007–2015). Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Critic for Health and Long-Term Care since 2009. Ran in the 2009 leadership election, placing third. Widow of former federal Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty. Prior to entering politics, Elliott was a lawyer who practiced corporate, estate and real estate law.

Date candidacy declared: June 25, 2014
Supporters

Withdrawn

Vic Fedeli

Background

MPP for Nipissing (2011–present), Opposition Finance Critic (2013–present), Energy Critic (2011–2013), Finance Critic (2013–Present), Fedeli served as mayor of North Bay, Ontario (2003–2010) for two terms, during which he donated his entire salary to charity. Before entering politics, he ran Fedeli Advertising, which in 1989 was ranked by Profit - the magazine for Small Business as the firm 34th on its list of 50 Best Places to Work in Canada. Fedeli was also recognized as one of Canada's Most Successful Entrepreneurs in an episode of MoneyMakers, hosted by Everett Banning. Additionally, Fedeli served as the dollar-per-year chairman of a non-profit organization in North Bay. Fedeli's campaign is called "OntarioFirst".

Date candidacy declared: September 24, 2014
Date withdrawn: February 4, 2015, endorsed Elliott
Supporters
Support from caucus members: Randy Pettapiece (Perth—Wellington)
Support from federal caucus members: Jay Aspin (Nipissing—Timiskaming)
Support from former provincial caucus members:
Other prominent supporters: Paula Peroni, 2014 Sudbury candidate and Sudbury Catholic District School Board trustee;
Policies

Lisa MacLeod

Background

MPP for Nepean—Carleton (2006–present), Opposition Treasury Board Critic (2014–present), Energy and Francophone Affairs Critic (2013–2014), Education Critic (2011–2013), Revenue and Government Accountability Critic (2009–2011).

Date candidacy declared: October 6, 2014
Date withdrawn: February 6, 2015, endorsed Elliott
Supporters
Support from caucus members: Steve Clark (Leeds—Grenville), Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North), Julia Munro (York—Simcoe), Jim McDonell (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry)
Support from federal caucus members: Senator Bob Runciman, former interim PC Leader and cabinet minister, former MPP for Leeds—Grenville
Support from former provincial caucus members: Norm Sterling (Carleton—Mississippi Mills, Lanark—Carleton, Carleton, 1979–2011)
Other prominent supporters:
Policies:

Monte McNaughton

Background

MPP for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex (2011–present), Opposition Critic for Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade (2014–present), Labour Critic (2013–2014), Economic Development and Innovation Critic (2011–2013). Prior to entering provincial politics, McNaughton sat on the city council of Newbury and was general manager and co-owner of McNaughton Family Shopping Centre in Newbury. He also served as chair of the Newbury Economic Development Committee and was president of the Strathroy and District Chamber of Commerce in 2009–10.

Date candidacy declared: September 17, 2014
Date withdrawn: April 9, 2015; endorsed Brown.
Supporters
Support from caucus members: Bob Bailey (Sarnia—Lambton)
Supports from federal caucus members:
Supports from former provincial caucus members: Darcy McKeough (Kent West, 1963–1967; Chatham—Kent 1967–1981), Marcel Beaubien, (Lambton then Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, 1995–2003), Andrew Naismith Watson, (Chatham—Kent 1978–1985)
Other prominent supporters: Rob Ford, Toronto city councillor and former mayor (2010–2014)
Policies: Social conservative

Declined

Results

Results announced in Toronto on May 9, 2015

Eligible voters: 76,587; turnout: 49.3%

Riding results

Opinion polling

All Ontarians

Progressive Conservative supporters only

Progressive Conservative Members Only

See also

References

Notes