By Canadian Press

O’Toole, MacKay set to kick Conservative leadership campaigns up a notch

Mar 5, 2020 | 12:22 PM

OTTAWA — Conservative party leadership candidates Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole are poised to kick their respective campaigns up a notch as both have now secured places on the contest ballot.

On Friday, MacKay will move his efforts at winning the job beyond attending meetings and roundtables with party members and deliver a speech to a luncheon crowd at the Regina Chamber of Commerce.

O’Toole is also seeking to attract an audience with the expected release of a detailed platform next week.

He teased elements of it today, including a promise to use the notwithstanding clause to allow for mandatory minimum sentences for people convicted of crimes.

While there are eight people currently vying for leadership of the party, only O’Toole and MacKay have raised the entire $300,000 entry fee and obtained the 3,000 signatures backing their bids, ensuring they’re on the ballot.

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The six others have until March 25 to meet those milestones.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2020.

The Canadian Press