PC finance critic Vic Fedeli considers party leadership bid
Ontario PCs to look for new leader after current leader Tim Hudak steps down
Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli says he’s gauging his support in a bid to become the leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
The leadership role is now vacant, after Tim Hudak stepped down, following the party’s defeat in the June 12 election. So far, only one person has officially announced an intention to run for the leadership — Whitby-Oshawa MPP Christine Elliot.
Fedeli, the former mayor of North Bay who is now in his second term of provincial politics, said he is interested in running for leadership, but added money is an issue moving forward.
“I’m trying to see if I can raise the money [and] see if I can raise the support,” he said. “I’ll be blunt: I’m really humbled by the amount of people who’ve called and who’ve said, ‘We need you. We need to as leader of the PC party.’’
Fedeli said he's speaking with people to see if he has enough support to officially enter the race.
“I’ve been touring Ontario, talking to not only members of the PC Party, but people throughout Ontario, talking about what it is we need to do to help turn Ontario around,” he said.
“I will continue to do that over the course of the summer.”
Fedeli said he will make a decision by the end of the summer, adding he does not expect a leadership convention to be held until sometime next year.