Party sources are saying that Caroline Mulroney will formally announce her candidacy for leadership of the Ontario PCs Monday. This as Rod Phillips, former Post Media executive and party candidate in the riding of Ajax says he will be supporting Mulroney in the leadership convention set for March 10. Phillips had been discussed as a leadership candidate. Mulroney is the daughter of former prime minister Brian Mulroney. At 43, she is a lawyer, wife, mother of four, public appointee and charity activist. She serves on the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority to help oversee development of a $4-billion second border span between the two cities. She also co-founded the Shoebox Project in 2011, a non-profit body that collects and distributes gifts to women who are homeless or at risk. Peter Van Loan, Conservative MP for in the Commons for York-Simcoe is close to the family and says it was not Mulroney’s plan to run but supporters have strongly formed up behind her bid. “Wow she is so relatable, she understands me, she gets me, she listens to me, she obviously genuinely cares,” Van Loan said as he described Mulroney’s public appeal. She is also the acclaimed candidate for the riding of York Simcoe in the June Ontario general election.
