Saturday,
January 25, 2003
New Hat in Tory Ring
Craig
Chandler, the outspoken president of the Progressive Group for Independent
Business, announced yesterday he'll vie for the Tory party leadership.
By
NOVA PIERSON, CALGARY SUN
The 32-year-old Ontario resident -- who spends his summers in Calgary
-- has stepped down as PGIB national president to run on a promise
of unifying the Tories with the Canadian Alliance.
"I'm
not running to dismantle anything, I'm running to unify it," said
Chandler, who believes his biggest opponent is Nova Scotia MP and
anti-unification candidate Peter MacKay.
"This
is a tough (fight) but I wouldn't even throw my hat in the ring
if I didn't think I had a chance of winning."
Others
in the running for Joe Clark's job are Tory MP Scott Brison and
Calgary lawyer Jim Prentice.
Chandler
said Prentice is "an honorable individual and great guy," but predicted
he wouldn't be a contender.
Chandler
said the only way to beat the Liberals -- who he blamed for an excess
in taxes and health care and military funding shortage -- is to
join both right wing parties.
He
said if he won he would run in the new Calgary South riding.
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