In an open letter published by La Presse, the Montreal businessman said he had come to the conclusion that he would not win the position in the present context.
Fortier said that he has “frankly, little in common” with the party members who supported Andrew Scheer or Maxime Bernier during the party’s 2017 leadership contest to replace Stephen Harper. He estimated that he could have attracted new party members — a task he described as “possible, but colossal” — and hopes that other “more gifted” candidates would succeed in “ridding the party of its radical elements.”
From the start, Fortier was of the opinion that the CPC must “confront the demons of its moral issues,” and that the next leader must be in favour of abortion, the rights “of all sexual minorities” and pledge to maintain those positions.
