Michael Fortier says he has "frankly, little in common" with party members who supported Andrew Scheer or Maxime Bernier.

Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Fortier has decided he will not seek the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada.

In an open letter published by La Presse , the Montreal businessman said he had come to the conclusion that he would not win the position in the present context.

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Fortier said that he has “frankly, little in common” with the party members who supported Andrew Scheer or Maxime Bernier during the party’s 2017 leadership contest to replace Stephen Harper. He estimated that he could have attracted new party members — a task he described as “possible, but colossal” — and hopes that other “more gifted” candidates would succeed in “ridding the party of its radical elements.”

From the start, Fortier was of the opinion that the CPC must “confront the demons of its moral issues,” and that the next leader must be in favour of abortion, the rights “of all sexual minorities” and pledge to maintain those positions.

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Fortier also thinks the Conservatives must introduce “strong” measures, such as a carbon tax, to reduce Canada’s carbon footprint while moving toward an ecological transition. This position, says Fortier, would be incompatible with the support of the petroleum industry

Fortier also noted the “worrisome east-west split” reminds him of the “animosity” that existed between Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance before the fusion that led to their becoming the CPC.

Fortier was never elected under the Conservative banner. Former prime minister Stephen Harper named Fortier to the Senate in 2006 and then made him a minister so Montreal could have a voice in the cabinet.

Fortier tried unsuccessfully to win a seat in the 2008 election. He has since become vice-president on the board of RBC Capital Markets.