Decision to bow out of leadership race weeks in the making: Poilievre

OTTAWA — Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre says weeks of uncertainty about whether he actually wanted to enter the party’s leadership race came to a head as deadlines to sign contracts loomed.

He says he went to bed a few nights ago pledging that if he did not feel “all in” for the job when he woke up, he’d drop out — and that’s what he did Thursday, throwing a bombshell into the ongoing campaign.

Poilievre, known as a hard-edged, scrappy fighter on the floor of the House of Commons, grew emotional as he described his decision to back out.

He says he took some advice from a friend: write two letters to his toddler, one describing why he chose to run and a second laying out why he didn’t.

He says he liked the second letter better, and decided he was tired of constantly sacrificing his personal life for his professional one.

Poilievre made the comments on his way into a meeting of Conservative MPs and senators gathered to discuss strategy for Parliament’s return last week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2020.

The Canadian Press