Lantz leaves door open for P.E.I. Progressive Conservative leadership run after all
Social Sharing
Premier Rob Lantz says he is not ruling out a run for the permanent leadership of P.E.I.'s Progressive Conservative Party, despite previously indicating that he didn't want anything but the interim job.
Lantz became the governing party's interim leader and thus the premier on Feb. 21, a day after Dennis King's sudden resignation from both roles.
In a statement to CBC News on Wednesday, Lantz said he's been focused on leading the province and the spring legislative sitting over the past three months.
"In that same time, many Islanders have approached me about reconsidering my stance on running for the leadership of the PC Party," he said in the statement. "I owe it to those who have been encouraging me to have a conversation with them and hear what they have to say — and that's what I am doing right now."
WATCH | As P.E.I. PCs work on leadership convention plan, Premier Rob Lantz says he's being urged to run:
As P.E.I. PCs work on leadership convention plan, Premier Rob Lantz says he's being urged to run
1 hour ago
Duration 2:31
The interim leader of Prince Edward Island's Progressive Conservative Party says he's not ruling out a run for the permanent leadership of his party. That's a change from a few months back. The PCs haven't set a date for their leadership convention yet, says party president Sydney Gallant (shown), but that isn't stopping the talk in Island political circles. CBC's Wayne Thibodeau has more.
King's resignation meant all three political parties with seats in the P.E.I. Legislature were left without a permanent leader.
The Green Party will hold a leadership convention on June 7, while the Liberals' top spot will be contested Oct. 4.
The PCs have not yet selected a date for their convention.
Sidney Gallant, president of the P.E.I. Progressive Conservatives, said Wednesday that the party has now finalized the rules for the race.
The government also has to call two byelections in the near future — one in Brackley-Hunter River triggered by King's resignation, and another in Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park after Natalie Jameson stepped down to run in a losing bid for the federal Conservatives in the April general election.
WATCH | P.E.I. premier talks to CBC News: Compass about his resignation and what's next
P.E.I. premier talks to CBC News: Compass about his resignation and what's next
3 months ago
Duration 10:36
Dennis King announced Thursday that he was stepping down as P.E.I.'s premier and walking away from politics entirely. A few hours after the announcement, he joined CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin to talk about his decision and his plans for the future.
"It's our job to make sure that the party's ready to tackle those byelections when the premier calls them," Gallant said.
"There's a lot on the plate, and we don't take this lightly. The next leader of the PC Party will be the next premier of Prince Edward Island, so we want to make sure that we're not rushing [a convention]. We want to do this right."
Other candidates unconcerned
Lantz had been relatively clear from the day he was sworn in as premier that he did not intend to seek the permanent leadership — but even back then, he didn't fully close the door.
"I may very much enjoy doing this job and regret that I don't put myself forward for that permanent leadership," he told CBC News in an interview after his Feb. 21 swearing-in ceremony.
If the current premier throws his hat in the ring for the leadership, he'll face at least two other candidates, neither of whom said Wednesday that they would be concerned with Lantz entering the race.
Mark Ledwell, a Stratford lawyer, announced last week that he's interested in the party's top job. He's been working behind the scenes with the Progressive Conservatives since the 1980s.
"Premier Lantz stepped into a big job on short notice, and I think he needs to be applauded for doing that," Ledwell said. "I know what he said publicly, and whether or not he runs, that's his decision. I don't discourage anyone from running."
Cory Deagle, the other announced candidate and the current MLA for Montague-Kilmuir, stepped down from a cabinet post just days after King's resignation to announce his leadership bid.
Whether Lantz decides to run for leadership or not, Deagle said he expects the race to be competitive.
"It would definitely change the dynamics of the race," he said Wednesday of the possibility of his current boss seeking the leadership.
"A competitive race is good for the party. Ultimately it'll be up to Premier Lantz whether or not he decides if he wants to run for the leadership."
Gallant said she expects more people to come forward, with a party search committee actively recruiting candidates.
If Lantz does decide to run, he'll have just 10 days after the convention date is announced to hand over the reins of the province to yet another interim party leader, who would therefore also be premier.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
27 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Many Canadians losing confidence in future of trade relationship with U.S.: Poll
Published Jun 06, 2025 • 3 minute read The U.S. and Canadian flags fly on the U.S. side of the St. Clair River near the Bluewater Bridge border crossing between Sarnia, Ont., and Port Huron, Mich. Photo by GEOFF ROBINS / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES OTTAWA — Almost two in five Canadians say recent court rulings in the U.S., and the ongoing legal battle over President Donald Trump's tariffs, have made them feel less confident in the future of trade relations, a new poll suggests. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The poll suggests that 38 per cent of Canadians say they feel less confident now about the future of Canada-U.S. trade as well as trade between the U.S. and other countries. Sixteen per cent of Canadian respondents say they feel more confident, while 37 per cent say their level confidence in the future of the trade relationship hasn't changed. The Leger poll, which was conducted online and can't be assigned a margin of error, surveyed more than 1,500 people between May 30 and June 1. The poll also surveyed more than 1,000 Americans. Their responses to the poll were substantially similar. Thirty-six per cent of American respondents said the recent court rulings and the ongoing legal battle over Trump's tariffs made them feel less confident about the future of trade with Canada and with the rest of the world. Another 19 per cent reported feeling more confident and 31 per cent said their opinion hadn't changed. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump's tariffs are still hitting most countries around the world after a federal appeals court temporarily paused a decision last week by the U.S. Court of International Trade to block his tariffs. The court said Trump went beyond his authority when he used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to take his trade war to the world. A federal appeals court granted the Trump administration's emergency motion for a temporary stay, allowing those tariffs to stay in place for now. The poll suggests that Albertans are reporting the lowest level of confidence in the state of trade relations — 48 per cent of them told Leger they feel less confident about the future of Canada_U.S. and U.S._international trade relations. That's compared to 38 per cent of Quebecers, 37 per cent of Ontarians and 35 per cent of people in B.C. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Among Canadians 55 years of age and older, 43 per cent reported feeling less confident in trade relations; just 33 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 34 said the same. More women than men said they were losing confidence. While many Canadians expressed concern about the future of trade relationships, many also said the fact that U.S. courts are trying to limit Trump's impact on trade policy increases their trust in America's institutions. The poll suggests that 45 per cent of Canadians say their trust in U.S. democratic institutions has increased, while 17 per cent say it has decreased. Almost a third of Canadians said it has had no impact on their opinion. Quebecers were the most likely to say their trust had increased, at 54 per cent, compared to 45 per cent of people in B.C., 43 per cent of Ontarians and 39 per cent of Albertans. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadians aged 55 and over were more likely to say their trust had increased than younger Canadians. Among the Americans surveyed, 38 per cent said the fact that U.S. courts are trying to limit Trump's trade powers increases their trust in U.S. democratic institutions. Another 24 per cent said it decreases their trust and 26 per cent said it had no impact on their opinion. Andrew Enns, Leger's executive vice-president for Central Canada, said that if there had been only one ruling — the one that blocked the tariffs — the confidence levels recorded by the poll might have been higher. 'There was a second ruling and I think, if anything, it's left people a bit uncertain about the situation,' Enns said, noting that levels of concern seemed to be higher earlier in the year. 'I think the confidence, it's going to take some time to rebuild that.' The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. — With files from David Baxter and Kelly Geraldine Malone This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025. Olympics NHL Toronto & GTA Editorial Cartoons Ontario
CTV News
28 minutes ago
- CTV News
Innisfil rec complex set to reopen after May fire
The Innisfil Recreational Complex (IRC), which was severely damaged by fire in May, is finally reopening following weeks of cleanup, restoration, and safety checks. Fire crews were called to the Yonge Street facility for thick, black smoke billowing from the roof. The building was evacuated and no injuries were reported. After extensive work over the last few weeks, the IRC is officially open to the public on Monday; this includes ice rentals and registered drop-in ice programs. On June 11, the conditioning floor, studio, indoor track, change rooms, and multi-purpose room for Stay'n Play will become accessible to members. The gymnasium is scheduled to reopen in nearly a month, on July 7, following the completion of floor repairs and repainting. The town says the pool will remain closed until repairs can be made to critical pool operating equipment. This marks an important milestone in the facility's recovery process, and the town says they would like to thank the community for its continued patience and support.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Speech from OPEC head to kick off Global Energy Show in Calgary
More than 30,000 people from 100 countries are expected to descend on the white-collar heart of Canada's oilpatch next week for the Global Energy Show, which is to kick off with a keynote address from the head of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC secretary-general Haitham al-Ghais is set to deliver remarks on Tuesday morning, as recent output increases from his group's members and other producers have put pressure on global crude prices. Among the other speakers are 20 chief executives from major Canadian and international energy companies and several political leaders, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Energy show organizers say Calgary is expecting a 30 per cent increase in hotel bookings for the conference and trade show, and that exhibition space has been increased by one fifth year-over year. Nick Samain, senior vice-president at DMG Events, said as of two weeks before the event, pre-registrations were 78 per cent higher than last year. He says the show is seeing a big turnaround since the oil bust of 2015 and the COVID-19 pandemic. "There's a sense of optimism that the show really hasn't had in a long time," Samain said in an interview. "Operationally, we've been going crazy to make sure we've got enough room for everybody." The exhibition hall in the newly refurbished BMO Centre on the Calgary Stampede grounds is to feature a record 11 country pavilions and 500 company booths. Event rebranded in 2020 The event was called the Global Petroleum Show until 2020, when it was rebranded to highlight the growing number of non-oil-and-gas participants in the energy space, such as nuclear and renewables firms. Samain said at the trade show, oil and gas makes up about 70 per cent of exhibitors, with other forms of energy making up the rest. The conference comes as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war throws global trade into disarray, raising the prospect of a global downturn that could dampen energy demand. The trade strife has driven calls for Canada to diversify its export markets for its energy products beyond its biggest customer, the United States, and remove some of the logjams that have prevented infrastructure from being built over the past several years. Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to speed up and simplify the regulatory process for projects deemed in the national interest. Samain said the show is an opportunity for people to hash out competing views about Canada's energy future. "We're just big proponents of people meeting face to face," he said. "We find when people get together at an event like this, it really does [give] the opportunity for people maybe to see a different perspective." A week after the Global Energy Show, another major event drawing dignitaries from abroad is to take place in a popular recreation area in the Rocky Mountains an hour west of Calgary. Canada is to host leaders from the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and the European Union at the G7 summit from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis.
