Leadership race

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Michael Chong, the MP for Wellington-Halton Hills has become the third person to enter the race to be the next leader of the Conservative party of Canada. The party need to replace Stephen Harper after he stepped down after losing in last fall’s Federal election.

Chong, who’s 44 and the same age as Trudeau, was voted as the first member of Parliament for the new riding of Wellington-Halton Hills back in 2004 and served in former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet as Intergovernmental Affairs Minister. But he didn’t stay there long. Chong resigned from his post two years later because he didn’t support a motion that saw Quebec as a nation.

Since, Chong sits on the backbench and has been vocal towards parliamentary reform. Chong understands the Conservatives need to change their ways in order to gain the youth vote.
“We have to attract younger people to our party and I think that begins by shifting our position on issues like the environment, which is a big concern for younger voters.”

Winnipeg’s Kellie Leitch and Quebec’s Maxime Bernier have also joined the race. Despite being a favourite to be the fourth candidate, Milton MP Lisa Raitt hasn’t made an announcement but did retweet Chong’s earlier today.

The final vote for the leadership will take place in over a year.