NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — With Andrew Scheer’s resignation, Peter MacKay will most likely be thrust into the limelight once again, as a possible successor to fill the Conservative Party leadership.
It’s speculation that has surrounded MacKay, even before the Conservative Party failed to unseat Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in the Oct. 21 election.
Following the election, MacKay, in an interview with The News (New Glasgow), dismissed rumours that he would be seeking the leadership. At the time he said, he’s “not going down that road” but did say, as he has in the past, that “I’m not closing any door, but I’m not ready to jump back in, either.”
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He said he was happy practising law and raising a family. MacKay and his wife Nazanin have three young children.
"My life is very full and I’m not pining away for politics,” he said at that time.
But rumours persisted particularly after MacKay compared the Conservative’s loss in the election to missing a shot on an open net.
After those comments were heavily publicized MacKay wrote on Twitter:
I’ve repeatedly said I support @AndrewScheer + I worked v hard to help him in the campaign. Reports of me organizing r false. Recent comments r about our Party’s shortcomings & making the necessary improvements w modern policies + better coms so we can win the next election.
— Peter MacKay (@PeterMacKay) October 31, 2019
“I’ve repeatedly said I support @AndrewScheer + I worked v hard to help him in the campaign. Reports of me organizing r false. Recent comments r about our Party’s shortcomings & making the necessary improvements w modern policies + better coms so we can win the next election.”
It wasn't enough to make the rumours go away.
In November an Abacus Data poll showed that MacKay would be preferred as leader by Canadians nationwide to Scheer.
MacKay was MP of what is now Central Nova from 1997 to 2015. During that time he held several significant cabinet positions, including Minister of Justice and Attorney General (2013-2015), Minister of National Defence (2007-2013) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2007.)
He announced on May 29, 2015 that he would not be seeking re-election in fall election later that year. At the time, he said it was to allow him to spend more time with his young family.
Since then, he has been working at the Baker McKenzie law firm in Toronto, but has remained active on the political scene, attending many Conservative Party events and assisting Conservative candidates in the most recent election.
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