Patrick Brown at the Conservative Party of Canada English leadership debate in Edmonton on May 11. Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Patrick Brown says he is unlikely to lift his disqualification from running for Conservative leader in time to enter the race, so he will vote for former Quebec premier Jean Charest.
The statement was part of a letter to supporters that was sent on Tuesday night, hours after Mr Brown’s national campaign co-chair endorsed Mr Charest as the best and most experienced choice for Conservative members.
The campaign letter, released by spokesman Chisholm Pothier, said there was a “strong likelihood” Mr Brown’s attempt to appeal the party’s disqualification would fail in time as members had already received their ballots and the winner was due to be announced on September 10.
“If that is the case, Patrick has been clear that he will support any new leader of the CPC, with the exception of Pierre Poillievre,” the letter said. “If it comes down to it, he will vote for Jean Charest. He encouraged his supporters to stay engaged, do their research and make their choice for the party’s next leader.
The letter said Mr. Charest “has the best chance to stop the extremism of Pierre Poilievre,” but did not elaborate on Mr. Brown’s specific concerns about the Ottawa MP.
Lawyers for Mr. Brown, now mayor of Brampton, Ont., are trying to appeal his disqualification as a leadership candidate because of campaign finance irregularities.
Earlier Tuesday, former MP John Reynolds, who was national co-chairman of Mr. Brown’s campaign, said Mr. Charest, who was Quebec’s Liberal premier from 2003 to 2012, was the best choice to unify of the Conservative Party and forming a national government.
Without being specific, Mr Reynolds, a founding member of the Conservatives, said he was “deeply troubled” by the divisions in the party and the negative publicity.
“We must offer Canadians a positive, united and inclusive Conservative Party with a new, time-tested leader,” Mr. Reynolds said in a statement.
“After watching this campaign unfold, it dawned on me [Jean Charest] is now the only leadership candidate who offers the Conservative Party of Canada a forward-looking vision with an electable path to government.”
He added that Mr. Charest, who was also a federal minister in the Progressive Conservative cabinet and party leader, is experienced and reliable at a time when Canadians are looking for a serious alternative to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “far-left identity politics.”
In an apparent reference to Mr. Poilievre, who has promised to make Canada “the freest nation on earth,” Mr. Reynolds wrote: “The Conservative Party of Canada needs a leader who will offer Canadians bold ideas and solutions, and not just empty calls for freedom.”
Mr. Reynolds was the Member of Parliament for the BC riding of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country from 1997 to 2006, representing the Reform Party, the Canadian Alliance and the Conservatives. At one point he was the official leader of the opposition representing the Canadian Alliance.
Mr. Reynolds could not be reached Tuesday for comment on his statement.
Mr. Pottier said on Tuesday that the campaign was grateful for Mr. Reynolds’ expertise, including during a conference call Monday night that included Mr. Brown and hundreds of supporters.
“He was very open that Patrick was his first choice, but given the circumstances he announced his support for Jean Charest today,” Mr Potier said.
“The Brown campaign’s appeal process is ongoing. But Patrick himself was very clear: if he is not a candidate at the end of the process, he will vote for Jean Charest.
Mr. Charest’s director of communications, Michelle Coates Mather, said in a statement earlier Tuesday that his team was grateful for Mr. Reynolds’ endorsement.
Poilievre’s spokesman, Anthony Koch, said before the letter was released that the campaign would not comment on Mr. Reynolds’ endorsement of Mr. Charest.
Mr Brown’s campaign claims it has sold 150,000 memberships, while Mr Poilievre’s campaign says it has sold about 311,000. The Conservative Party has not confirmed either number.
Ontario MPs Scott Aitchison, Leslyn Lewis and Mr. Poiliver; Roman Baber, former Progressive Conservative member of the Ontario legislature; and Mr. Charest remain in the leadership race.
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