By Canadian Press

Next phase of Conservative party leadership race set to get underway

Mar 25, 2020 | 1:19 PM

OTTAWA — The Conservative party is gearing up for the next phase of its leadership race, a contest taking place in unprecedented times.

Wednesday is the deadline for candidates to get on the ballot by getting 3,000 signatures, raising $300,000 and having their applications approved by party officials.

Four candidates have crossed that threshold: Leslyn Lewis, Erin O’Toole, Peter MacKay and Derek Sloan. 

Three others trying to get into the race, however, found their efforts hamstrung by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Marilyn Gladu, Rudy Husny and Rick Peterson all called multiple times for the party to extend the deadlines or postpone the contest, saying it was inappropriate for them to be campaigning at a time of crisis.

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Peterson has since dropped out, while Gladu and Husny continued to await word from the party late Wednesday on whether any change will be made.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2020.

The Canadian Press