SneakyFrenchSpy
Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2007
- Messages
- 505
It’s very likely there already is a new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada — they just don’t know it yet.
About 2,000 Conservatives have gathered at a conference centre near Pearson Airport to select their next party leader. But with 126,000 mail-in ballots received by the party as of Friday morning, it’s unlikely Saturday’s in-person voting will have much of an impact on the final outcome.
That perhaps explains the fairly relaxed atmosphere at the Toronto Congress Centre, where party faithful slowly trickled in Friday to hear last-ditch appeals from the 13 people hoping to replace Stephen Harper.
None of the backroom manoeuvring or mass migrations of delegates from one camp to another that characterized leadership contests of old. Just like-minded Conservatives paying to attend what one insider called a “reveal,” not a contest.
The consensus in the convention hall is that Quebec MP Maxime Bernier is the man to beat, a self-styled libertarian who out-fundraised the rest of the field, but Saskatchewan’s Andrew Scheer and Ontario’s Erin O’Toole at least have a path to victory.
Quito Maggi, CEO of Mainstreet Research, said Bernier entered the race as a complete long shot, but managed to sustain momentum through the marathon race.“But all the candidates we’ve seen evolve,” Maggi said in an interview Friday afternoon.“Maxime Bernier is going to win. He’s at 31 per cent (according to Mainstreet’s polling of Conservative members) of the vote. When you translate that to votes . . . there’s 17,000 members total in Quebec, 78 ridings with 7,800 points. There’s 22,000 members in Calgary, nine ridings, worth 900 points. That’s why Bernier is going to win.”
Scheer’s team was quietly telling reporters Friday, however, that they’re projecting their candidate is only a few points behind Bernier, and have more support in Quebec than has been reported publicly. That could just be last minute spin, but if true would make Saturday’s big reveal a lot more interesting.
On Saturday, members will have their last opportunity to vote at the convention hall before a new leader is announced — expected around 7 p.m. Saturday.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/26/the-conservative-leadership-race-all-but-over.html
About 2,000 Conservatives have gathered at a conference centre near Pearson Airport to select their next party leader. But with 126,000 mail-in ballots received by the party as of Friday morning, it’s unlikely Saturday’s in-person voting will have much of an impact on the final outcome.
That perhaps explains the fairly relaxed atmosphere at the Toronto Congress Centre, where party faithful slowly trickled in Friday to hear last-ditch appeals from the 13 people hoping to replace Stephen Harper.
None of the backroom manoeuvring or mass migrations of delegates from one camp to another that characterized leadership contests of old. Just like-minded Conservatives paying to attend what one insider called a “reveal,” not a contest.
The consensus in the convention hall is that Quebec MP Maxime Bernier is the man to beat, a self-styled libertarian who out-fundraised the rest of the field, but Saskatchewan’s Andrew Scheer and Ontario’s Erin O’Toole at least have a path to victory.
Quito Maggi, CEO of Mainstreet Research, said Bernier entered the race as a complete long shot, but managed to sustain momentum through the marathon race.“But all the candidates we’ve seen evolve,” Maggi said in an interview Friday afternoon.“Maxime Bernier is going to win. He’s at 31 per cent (according to Mainstreet’s polling of Conservative members) of the vote. When you translate that to votes . . . there’s 17,000 members total in Quebec, 78 ridings with 7,800 points. There’s 22,000 members in Calgary, nine ridings, worth 900 points. That’s why Bernier is going to win.”
Scheer’s team was quietly telling reporters Friday, however, that they’re projecting their candidate is only a few points behind Bernier, and have more support in Quebec than has been reported publicly. That could just be last minute spin, but if true would make Saturday’s big reveal a lot more interesting.
On Saturday, members will have their last opportunity to vote at the convention hall before a new leader is announced — expected around 7 p.m. Saturday.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/05/26/the-conservative-leadership-race-all-but-over.html
