Long-time Ontario MP Pierre Poilievre announced today he will not run for the Conservative Party leadership, saying it would be too tough on his family at this time.
Poilievre was expected to announce his candidacy on Sunday in Ottawa, but in a Facebook post late Thursday he said he would not be joining the race to replace outgoing leader Andrew Scheer.
"Over the last several weeks, I have been building a team and support for a possible run for the Conservative leadership. In criss-crossing the country, I have been overwhelmed with the favourable response," he wrote on Facebook.
"I knew it would be hard on my family life to do this. But I did not realize how hard. It is harder still because I had just spent the earlier 18 months campaigning furiously to win back my seat in the recent federal election, during which I mostly missed the first year of our baby's life."
"As such, my heart is not fully engaged in this leadership race. Without being all in, I cannot be in at all. So I have decided not to seek the leadership of the party at this time."
Poilievre said he will continue to serve his Carleton constituents as an MP.
He said he is not currently supporting any other candidate, but will look for a "strong fiscal conservative who will unleash free enterprise so people can achieve their dreams through hard work." ...