Former PC executive director requests formal leadership review

A veteran staffer for the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador has asked for Paul Davis's leadership be put to the test at the party's annual general meeting in October.

"I wouldn't say we're in crisis," said Sharon Vokey, the party's former executive director.

I don't know if there's ever going to be another Danny, but we need that charisma.- Sharon Vokey

"I would say the supporters of the party are coming back stronger than ever before to rebuild for [the next scheduled general election in] 2019 and this is just part of that process."

Vokey was the party's executive director through to the November provincial election, which she called "devastating," and saw the PCs decimated and left clinging to seven seats.

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In the less than a year since that loss, Vokey said despite the Liberals' unprecedented plunge in popularity, Davis and the PCs have been unable to regain support.

'Bigger than any one person'

Amid ever-increasing rumours of dissatisfaction with Davis' leadership, coupled with his own announcement that he plans to stay on as leader, Vokey said it's time now to re-evaluate the man at the helm.

"The party is always bigger than any one person," she told CBC News.

"And the timing on this, we can't wait to see. If the confidence isn't there that we can take the next election with Paul as leader, that's something we have to deal with relatively quickly."

Vokey said she sent the necessary paperwork to Davis and party president Mark Whiffen by registered mail on Friday. He motion is to bring a resolution to vote on Davis's leadership at the party's annual general meeting, to be held Oct. 21-23.

The party has not confirmed to CBC that paperwork has been processed.

Davis has been leader since being voted in at the party's convention in September 2014, and was sworn into office as premier later that same month.

The next Danny?

Vokey said the convention vote will be by secret ballot, meaning party members can let their vote speak even if they feel they themselves cannot.

"I expect there will be a lot of support for this motion," she said.

Vokey said she's not aware of anyone ready to step up to take power, and while she had no new names to put forth, one old one popped up.

The party is always bigger than any one person.- Sharon Vokey

"We need somebody who can capture the people again, like Danny [Williams] I guess," she said.

"I don't know if there's ever going to be another Danny, but we need that charisma, we need that intelligence."

Vokey said the PCs had been on a long slide since Williams' departure, as byelection losses stacked up steadily from 2011 on, and interest waned to the point it was hard to put up a fight in the general election.

"There's no doubt about it, there was a lot of disgruntled people in 2015. We had difficulty getting candidates and we had difficulty getting volunteers out," she said.

"The interest was gone," she said, adding the election loss also obliterated the party's coffers and forced the closure of its office. Vokey herself left as executive director, citing personal reasons.

Vokey said Davis himself supported a leadership review.

However, she wouldn't say which way she would be voting in October.

"Obviously I have concerns, or I wouldn't have brought the motion forward, and I'll leave it at that."