Getting rid of Patrick Brown has led to a surge in support for the Progressive Conservatives in terms of volunteers and fundraising, according to interim leader Vic Fedeli.
In a letter Wednesday updating Conservative MPPs on his clean-up of the Tories over the past three weeks, Fedeli enthused that “our party has never been stronger or in better shape.”
“During some of our most difficult days, commentators wrote us off. We heard that there was a ‘malaise’ in the party. They’re wrong,” the Nipissing MPP wrote in the internal memo obtained by the Star.
“Our grassroots are responding to our message of change for the better with their time, their support, and their money,” he added.
His message echoes Campaign Research’s monthly tracking poll released Monday that found the Tories have a comfortable lead over Premier Kathleen Wynne’s governing Liberals and Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats.
Since Brown was forced to resign on Jan. 25 amid allegations of past sexual impropriety involving teenage girls, Fedeli has vowed to “root out any rot” in the Conservatives, including the overturning of questionable nominations.
The Tories have fired some key Brown allies and former president Rick Dykstra quit after allegations of sexual assault were levelled against him.
Both Dykstra and Brown deny any wrongdoing and have vowed to clear their names. The accusations against them have not been proven in court and no charges have been laid.
In an interview to be broadcast by Global News Toronto at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the former leader said he has been the victim of a “public assassination.”
He stepped down under pressure from the PC caucus — and after six of his top aides quit his team — hours after CTV News broadcast allegations against him.
Despite all of that negative publicity, Fedeli has been righting the ship behind the scenes.
A leadership contest with former MPP Christine Elliott, ex-Toronto councillor Doug Ford, and rookie PC candidate Caroline Mulroney has injected excitement into the party.
The party will elect a new chief on March 10 — with the provincial election set for June 7.
“In the past couple of weeks, our fundraising totals have increased by 10.5 per cent,” wrote Fedeli.
“We’re beating our already record-breaking fundraising hauls on a daily basis, putting us in a very strong financial position for our next leader and into the next election,” he continued.
“Volunteers reaching out to the party have increased 21-fold in recent weeks. We have had 2,331 supporters offer their time on our website since Jan. 25. Lawn sign requests have increased by 45 per cent.”
Between Jan. 1 and Jan. 24, when Brown was still leader, the Tories’ website tally found 111 people volunteered with the party.
That ballooned to 2,331 between Jan. 25 and this past Monday.
In the ridings of Markham-Stouffville and Pickering-Uxbridge there has been a 54 per cent increase in requests for election campaign signs, which will not be legally allowed to be displayed until the writ drops May 9.
Northumberland-Peterborough South found a 67 per cent hike in demands for signs.
Fedeli continued that he is optimistic the incoming leader will take over a party ready to “form a PC majority government in June.”
“We are in the midst of exciting times, with unlimited potential,” he concluded.
PC Fund Chair Tony Miele praised Fedeli for being a firm hand on the tiller during stormy times.
“The day he took office, Vic met with me and said that we must continue to focus on raising money to fight the next election,” said Miele.
“Our grassroots members are responding to his message with their time, their support and their money. They are committed like never before.”
Using an online panel of 1,426 Ontario voters, Campaign Research polled between Friday and Sunday. A probability sample of that size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The pollster found Elliott was the most popular — 46 per cent of respondents would cast a ballot for a Tory party led by her. That compared to 23 per cent for Horwath’s New Democrats, 20 per cent for Wynne’s Liberals, and 7 per cent for Mike Schreiner’s Greens.
Mulroney’s Tories were at 41 per cent compared to 25 per cent for Horwath’s NDP, 22 per cent for Wynne’s Liberals, and 8 per cent for Schreiner’s Greens.
Ford’s PC party was at 39 per cent compared to 24 per cent apiece for Horwath’s NDP and Wynne’s Liberals, and 7 per cent for Schreiner’s Greens.
When no leaders’ names are tested, the Tories are at 43 per cent, the Liberals at 28 per cent, the NDP at 20 per cent, and the Greens are at 8 per cent.
