Pettapiece: Review proposal is against party constitution.
Local Progressive Conservative MPPs are throwing their support behind party leader Tim Hudak in the wake of calls for a leadership review from party members in the London area.
Those calling for a review want the party to hold it at a policy convention on Sept. 20
Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece challenged the call for a review, calling it against the party’s constitution.
“As far as this business going on in London, constitutionally it can’t be done,” Pettapiece said.
Under the party’s constitution, a leadership review is conducted after the Conservative Party loses in a provincial election, as it did in 2011.
“They wanted a leadership review and the only time they can have that is after an election,” said Pettapiece.
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott agreed. He said Hudak’s leadership was reviewed in 2012 with 80 per cent supporting the leader.
“His leadership was confirmed after the election,” Arnott said.
Some party members, including 10 from the London West riding, are disgruntled by the fact the party managed to win only one seat in the recent five-riding by-election, with the Liberals picking up two and the NDP two. The Liberals held all five of the ridings prior to the by-election.
Arnott said despite the election results, the Conservatives picked up the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding, the first in the Toronto area, where the party has been shutout for over a decade.
The riding was won by popular Toronto deputy mayor Doug Holyday.
“We won a seat in Toronto,” Arnott said. “That’s an important breakthrough for us.”
He added that vote wise, the party picked up votes in the by-elections.
“We take some encouragement from that,” Arnott said.
“They keep saying Tim lost the by-election, but you can’t lose something we never had,” Pettapiece pointed out of the five seats held by the Liberals prior to the by-election. “We have one more person in our caucus so we’re plus one.”
Arnott said he thinks a constitutional amendment to allow a leadership review will come up at the September policy convention.
“I would be opposed to it,” said Arnott, who will be a delegate at the convention.
“I support Tim Hudak’s leadership. He’s an effective leader for our party.”
Pettapiece also noted his support for Hudak.
