Will former North Vancouver Conservative MP Andrew Saxton run for his party’s leadership?
The answer is that he is absolutely considering it.
“It’s a huge decision on a personal as well as a professional basis,” Saxton said, discussing the issue one day before former Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the relinquishment of his seat in the House of Commons.
Saxton is currently overseeing residential construction with real estate investment company the King George Financial Corp. – a position he would likely vacate if he could beat out suspected hopefuls Peter MacKay, Kevin O’Leary and Lisa Raitt for the Tories’ top job.
“I would love to have significant input into keeping Canada great,” Saxton said.
After representing North Vancouver for seven years, Saxton lost his seat in 2015 as a Liberal surge ushered Justin Trudeau into the Prime Minister’s office. New MP Jonathan Wilkinson captured 56 per cent of the vote in North Vancouver, handily defeating Saxton, who garnered 27 per cent.
Saxton acknowledged guiding the Tories against Trudeau’s Liberals will likely require a “much bigger commitment” than serving as MP.
The tenure of a party leader is uncertain. MacKay previously guided the Conservatives for about eight months. On the other end of the spectrum, Sir John A. MacDonald oversaw his party for 24 years until his death in 1891.
While Saxton was emphatic that he was only considering running, he was quick to mention his role in the Conservative government led by Harper. “I was Jim Flaherty’s right-hand man as parliamentary secretary of finance,” he said. “I was part of the team that balanced the budget.”
Saxton was also critical of the fiscal leadership of the Liberals, explaining the Canadian government can’t spend their way to prosperity.
“There’s going to be a comeuppance,” he warned. “I believe that by 2019 Canadians will be tired of these great big deficits that are being run up year after year by the Liberals.”
Saxton said he would likely make a firm decision in the next few weeks.
