By Jeff Labine

Hoback left with questions after O’Leary departure

Apr 26, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Prince Albert’s Conservative MP isn’t fully buying Kevin O’Leary’s story about why he’s dropping out of the Tory leadership race.

The reality TV star and business tycoon announced he would be dropping out of the federal Conservative leadership race on Wednesday because he claimed he didn’t have enough support in Quebec to win the general election in 2019. Instead, O’Leary told reporters he would be giving his support to candidate Maxime Bernier.

Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback, who is backing leadership candidate Erin O’Toole, believes there’s more to O’Leary dropping out than being unable to clinch the Quebec vote.

“Mr. O’Leary put his toe in the water, tested it and found out he didn’t like the temperature of the water and he got out of the race,” he said. “He doesn’t speak French so that’s a problem. There’s probably a hundred reasons why and he focused on one to give to the media. I wish him all the best for sure. I think he has to do what’s right for him but I’m still excited about Erin O’Toole. I think his chances have improved enormously.”

Hoback said O’Leary probably found out he wasn’t the second or third choices for a number of people so he wasn’t likely going to win the leadership.

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O’Leary brought a lot of attention to the Conservative leadership race and drew comparisons to American President Donald Trump for his sometimes off the cuff comments. Hoback said O’Leary’s appeal stemmed from people’s displeasure with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and many believed he was the best choice to win.

Hoback believes O’Toole will be the one to bring the Conservatives back to power in Ottawa come the next election.

“He clicks all the boxes,” he said. “When you start looking at what you want from a leader, you want somebody whose strong, who reaches out to people, who is a tent builder, he’s inclusive, he’s a good communicator, he speaks French, he lived in Atlantic Canada, he was in the military, he was in the private sector. He’s got the background a prime minister, I think, needs to have.”

With O’Leary gone that means there’s 13 candidates running in the leadership race. Conservative members vote on May 27.

Jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter