The official program, which was scheduled to start at 6 p.m., was postponed by an hour and a half, to 7:30 p.m. A few thousand
ballots have been accidentally torn apart by counting machines, forcing staff to rewrite the choices of these spoiled ballots by hand.
Four candidates are vying to lead the party, which currently holds 121 seats in the House of Commons: former minister Peter MacKay, Tory MP Erin O’Toole, Toronto lawyer of Jamaican origin Leslyn Lewis and MP Derek Sloan. The winner is expected to deliver his speech in the evening.
During the election campaign, all promised to repeal the tax on carbon emissions and two federal laws concerning natural resources: one on environmental reviews and the other prohibiting the circulation of tankers along the north coast of the British Columbia.
Special programs are presented at 6 p.m. (EDT) on ICI Télé, ICI RDI and Radio-Canada.ca, as well as on ICI Première this evening.
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They also want to lift gun restrictions recently imposed by the Liberal government and further limit Chinese investment in Canada.
An election in the midst of a pandemic
The pandemic has complicated the race for leadership. The party has it first suspended, before postponing the date of the vote.
New coronavirus requires, all the ballots were sent by mail; 174,849 responses were submitted, for a record participation rate of 65%. Members had until Friday to exercise their right to vote by ranking the candidates in order of preference. The results of the ballot are announced in the evening, at an event adapted to the sanitary guidelines, in downtown Ottawa.
According to the system in force, a candidate will need 16,901 points to emerge victorious. This score is determined by the percentage of the vote it receives in each of the 338 federal ridings, all of which are awarded 100 points. Voting is also preferential.
The new leader could find himself in the race to become prime minister in a matter of months – even weeks. As Justin Trudeau’s minority Liberal government is in turmoil with the sudden departure of Finance Minister Bill Morneau, the Prime Minister has called for the prorogation of the House of Commons until the end of September.
When parliamentary business resumes, the Speech from the Throne will result in a vote of confidence, and possibly an election, if Justin Trudeau’s minority government is defeated.
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