Conservative Party convention postponed until November 2020, Scheer to stay on in interim

The Conservative Party of Canada’s convention has been delayed until Nov. 2020 because of the announcement from Conservative leader Andrew Scheer that he was stepping down to spend more time with family after failing to defeat Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in the Oct. election.

A Saturday news release from the CPC explained that the convention would be postponed until Nov. 14 and that the National Council made the decision by vote on Friday.

At first it was believed the leadership vote would take place at the convention in Nov., but Conservative Party representatives told CBC Radio Canada that the day of the leadership vote still hasn’t been decided by the party.

So far reports have said prominent MPs Erin O’Toole and Pierre Poilievre are considering runs in the race to replace Scheer as CPC leader. There have also been sources saying former defence minister Peter MacKay is also weighing whether to run.

After the election Scheer has said he would stay on as leader, but in the aftermath certain factions called for him to stepdown. At the same time news was breaking that the party approved covering the cost of Scheer’s kids’ private school tuition, Scheer announced he was stepping down. It’s since been reported that the party approved $900,000 in expenses for Scheer as leader, $700,000 more than typically is given to the leader over the same time period in the past.

Former interim leader Rona Ambrose, former Quebec premier Jean Charest and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney are other prominent politicians the media are speculating could run to replace Scheer.