OTTAWA — Four candidates are in the running for leadership of the federal Conservative party, and a winner will be announced Sunday night.
Here’s a quick look at who they are, in alphabetical order:
Leslyn Lewis
Age: 49
Professional/political background: Lawyer, ran and lost in the 2015 election in the riding of Scarborough-Rouge Park after the original candidate was forced to withdraw.
Personal: Moved to Canada from Jamaica as a child and settled in the Toronto area. Has two adult children. Engaged to be married.
Campaign Slogan: Courage. Compassion. Common Sense.
Peter MacKay
Age: 54
Professional/political background: Lawyer. First elected to the House of Commons in 1997 as a Progressive Conservative. Became PC leader in 2003, and then merged the party with the Canadian Alliance to form the current Conservative party. As a Conservative, he served as foreign affairs, defence and justice minister. Left politics to go back to the private sector in 2015.
Personal life: Born in New Glasgow, N.S. Moved to Toronto after leaving politics in 2015. Married to Nazanin Afshin-Jam and they have three children.
Campaign slogan: Unite. Build. Lead.
Erin O’Toole
Age: 47
Professional/political background: Former officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Lawyer. First elected in a 2012 by-election in the Ontario riding of Durham. Veterans affairs minister from January 2015 until the election in the fall of that year. Ran for party leadership in 2017, finishing third.
Personal life: Born in Montreal, raised in Port Perry and Bowmanville, Ont. He is married to Rebecca and they have two children.
Campaign slogan: True Blue Conservative Leadership.
Derek Sloan
Age: 35
Professional/political background: Former furniture store owner. Lawyer. Elected in the 2019 election in the riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington.
Personal life: Grew up in Southern Ontario. He is married to Jennifer and they have three children.
Campaign slogan: Conservative Without Apology.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2020.
The Canadian Press
