Peace River-Westlock MP, Arnold Viersen, is not sure who he will support as the Progressive Conservative Party searches for its next leader. Current PC Leader, Andrew Scheer, announced on December 12 that he would be stepping down. Viersen says he won’t be in the running. “I am flattered at the suggestion but it is not at all a consideration,” says Viersen. “At this time, I am ruling it out.”
Viersen mentions that he is not prepared to throw his support behind a leadership candidate as of yet. He says he supported Scheer when he ran to be Tory Leader in 2017. “I have convinced he was the right guy for the job,” mentions Viersen. “I am very sad to see him go. “The way he leads as well, it speaks to the fact that I think he should have been the Prime Minister. Again, I am sad to see him go and I am not sure where we go from here.” Scheer said when he stepped aside that he would remain party leader until the party elects a successor.
Viersen adds that he wants to see who enters the leadership race before endorsing anyone. “I look forward to seeing some of the names (that come forward),” states Viersen. “It sounds like Erin O’Toole (Ontario MP) is pushing around, Peter MacKay (former Justice Minister), and I talked to Brad Trost (former Saskatchewan MP) so it will be interesting to see. They are all making phone calls so we will see where we end up.”
A party leader will be elected at the PC Convention in Toronto in April.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
