OTTAWA -- Conservative MP Michelle Rempel says she hasn鈥檛 ruled out a leadership bid namely because Western Canada isn鈥檛 being represented among those who鈥檝e already put their names forward.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Friday before the party鈥檚 caucus meeting, the Calgary-based MP said her main concern is ensuring her riding and her province feel accounted for.
"There are a lot of people in my province and Western Canada writ-large that feel very alienated and are questioning even if we had a change of government if there鈥檚 a place for our part of the country in the federation long-term," said Rempel.
The group of contenders who鈥檝e announced their intent to run thus far remains small 鈥� with former cabinet minister Peter MacKay and Ontario MP Erin O鈥橳oole garnering the most profile.
On Thursday, MP Pierre Poilievre pulled out of the race, citing his family as the reason for bowing out.
"Enough is enough, we are right on the verge of having a serious Western separatist party, it鈥檚 viable, it鈥檚 right there,鈥� said Rempel. "I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 being precipitated out of our leadership race."
Rempel says the leadership race can鈥檛 be a "popularity contest," rather it has to be about substantial policy discussion and changes to party governance.
"Whatever I decide in the future, that has to be answered for me and you know what, I feel those aren鈥檛 unreasonable demands."
On the issue of social conservatism and where it fits in the party going forward, Rempel 鈥� who鈥檚 been vocal about her support for LGBTQ rights 鈥� said she鈥檚 ready to move beyond those types of discussions.
In an interview on CTV鈥檚 Power Play this week, prospective leadership candidate Richard Decarie voiced that he believes being gay is 鈥渁 choice鈥� and that marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman.
"I am very, very tired 鈥� beyond tired 鈥搊f my party being hijacked by this type of bigotry," said Rempel.
She said she plans to ask the leadership organizing committee, co-chaired by former deputy leader Lisa Raitt and past chair Dan Nowlan, to disqualify him based on those statements.
"If he had made those statements as a candidate during the federal election he would have been turfed, so why should he be allowed to run?" she said.
Decarie has not officially registered as a candidate but his team said "it won鈥檛 be long" before he enters. Former leadership contender Brad Trost is chairing his campaign.
Ontario-based MP Michael Chong, who ran for leadership in 2017, said he鈥檚 also still pondering the move to throw his hat in the ring.
"I鈥檒l be making a decision next week. Obviously the events of the last couple of days have meant that we鈥檝e got a rapidly evolving situation but I鈥檝e talked to a lot of people over the last six weeks or so and so this weekend I鈥檒l be sitting down [with my wife] and our three boys and we鈥檒l make a decision together."
He added that social conservatives are a welcome segment of the party but that Decarie鈥檚 comments don鈥檛 reflect the views of "many" in the group.
