Peter MacKay

Peter Gordon MacKay MP, LL.B., BA, (born September 27, 1965) is the current deputy leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. He was the final leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC Party). In December 2003, he agreed to merge the party with the Canadian Alliance, forming the Conservative Party of Canada.

Conservative party merger

The meltdown in MacKay's leadership of the PC Party could be reflected in the fact that an August 17th Ipsos-Reid public opinion poll suggested that by August 2003 the party's national support had dropped to 12% from 19% in May 2003. This could be compared to the increases in support enjoyed by both the Liberal Party of Canada (44%) and the Canadian Alliance (15%). In the same poll, only 5% of Canadians viewed MacKay as a possible future Prime Minister, below Stephen Harper (6%), Jack Layton (17%) and Paul Martin (54%).

Related Topics:
Ipsos-Reid - Liberal Party of Canada - Jack Layton - Paul Martin

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Under intense pressure, MacKay encouraged talks between high-profile members of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives. According to the "Orchard deal," talks regarding merger were permitted, only a full-fledged merger or the running of joint candidates was forbidden. However, by September Orchard became openly critical of MacKay's facilitation of merger talks and criticized MacKay for not getting the PC Party into an election footing for a vote that was widely expected to occur in Spring 2004. In mid-October 2003, the merger talks culminated in MacKay and CA leader Stephen Harper agreeing to a "merger in principle" between the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance to form a new Conservative Party of Canada. While MacKay was roundly criticized in some Red Tory circles for permitting a union under his watch, MacKay's efforts to sell the merger to the PC membership were successful: 90.4% of the party's elected delegates supported the deal in a vote on December 6, 2003.

Related Topics:
Conservative Party of Canada - Red Tory

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Some PC caucus members refused to accept the merger: long-time Tory MP and former Prime Minister Joe Clark continued to sit as a "Progressive Conservative" for the remainder of the Parliament as did MPs John Herron and André Bachand while Scott Brison left the new party to join the Liberal Party in December. In January, 2004 several Tory Senators left the party to sit as independents or "Progressive Conservatives."

Related Topics:
Prime Minister - John Herron - André Bachand - Liberal Party

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MacKay announced on January 13, 2004, that he would not run for the leadership of the new Conservative Party. On March 22, he was named deputy leader of the new party by newly-elected leader Stephen Harper. He was easily re-elected in the June 28, 2004 federal election in the newly reorganized riding of Central Nova.

Related Topics:
January 13 - 2004 - March 22 - June 28, 2004 federal election - Central Nova

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Recently, MacKay has been suggested as a potential successor to retiring Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm. Given his prominence as one of the most nationally recognized Nova Scotian MP and his popularity in his home province, MacKay would be considered a clear front-runner for the leadership race to succeed Hamm as leader of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party. MacKay has suggested that for the time being, he is committed to federal politics, but nothing is certain.

Related Topics:
Nova Scotia Premier - John Hamm - Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Party

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