An Inside Look at the Conservative Leadership Race

There are three key things I thought You Should Know about the upcoming campaign to replace Erin O’Toole at the head of the Conservative Party of Canada, coming from my perspective as a former CPC leadership candidate in 2017 and again in 2020.

1. Leadership campaigns are extraordinary tests of physical, emotional, and mental stamina. Anyone who puts their name forward in this upcoming campaign deserves thanks and support. Raising funds, selling memberships, meeting members, dealing with media, and keeping the wheels on a running campaign with volunteers across six time zones amid constant travel and noise and pressure is a constant challenge. Keep that in mind when you’re watching this unfold – it is absolutely a grind.

2. If you’re inclined to support the Conservative Party, get involved with a leadership campaign if you can. A leadership campaign offers you to have a very, very significant role in the future direction of the country in a way that’s not available in a general election or a local election. Your ideas, your help, your money, your connections, and your ability to rally people behind the cause of a potential Leader will be deeply appreciated by that person. No gesture or sign of support is too big, or too small, to not have impact. Get involved – it’s tremendously rewarding, and we need more people from our line of business in the capital market to play a front-line role in these campaigns.

3. There is no better time for big ideas than in a leadership campaign. The media, Party members and Canadians from across the spectrum focus on policy ideas during a leadership race in a way that’s only rivalled by a general election. I know, as my two runs focussed on a strong fiscally conservative campaign platform of zero corporate income tax, flat 15% personal income tax rate, increased immigration levels, smarter firearms restrictions, and strong incentives for investment in technology and venture capital across the board. Those only go so far, as you need name recognition and a national organization to win these campaigns, but I’m hoping someone steps forward in this leadership race who offers big ideas.

I’m co-hosting a 45-minute Zoom call with Conservative Party of Canada Co-founder Peter MacKay later tonight. It was scheduled for last Thursday but a technical glitch on the webcast platform we were using pushed it back to tonight, Thursday, Feb 3rd, at 4:30 PM Mountain/6:30 pm Eastern.

We’ll be joined by Conrad Black as well as Danielle Smith. Should be a fascinating conversation. Feel free to join if you can.

Here is the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87641272194?pwd=QU80RkhhWVFtZTE4bTgwRG0xNUhzUT09

Thanks for your continued interest and support.

Two Disruptors, a New Canadian and George.

Three Key Catalysts; Two Smiles; One New Team Member