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It’s a bit curious that a figure like Clement would conclude his prospects were so glum that it didn’t justify staying in the contest, yet new, equally grey and even lesser-known Tories continue to join. Postmedia’s Jason Fekete reported Wednesday that two more hopefuls — former public safety minister Steven Blaney and Vancouver-area MP Andrew Saxton — are likely to declare their intentions in the next two weeks, in time for the first party-sanctioned debate on Nov. 9.

Blaney may be motivated by the fact that, after Bernier, he would be the only other candidate from Quebec (and the least likely to leave key government documents at his girlfriend’s). For his part, Saxton might qualify as the least-known in a little-known field: he served two terms as an MP for North Vancouver, never rose above the status of parliamentary secretary and wasn’t able to hold his seat in last year’s election. But he would be the only candidate from British Columbia.

It’s hardly a contest to stir the blood of Tories discouraged by the results of last year’s federal election. Unless the contestants wear name tags, it’s unlikely the audience at the Nov. 9 debate will have a clue who’s who.

Democracy is a good thing. It must say something about the party that so many of its members consider its leadership an attractive proposition, but it also calls to mind the early days of the Republican nomination race in the U.S., which began with a dozen unappetizing options and ended in choosing the absolute worst of the bunch. It also reinforces the suspicion that better-known Conservatives see little prospect of defeating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in the next election, and can’t be bothered trying.

For most of the people now vying for the job, just being leader of the opposition would be a career high. If the Conservatives ever hope to hold power again, they need to set the bar higher than that.

National Post