OTTAWA — Canadian Alliance MPs who have a beef with leader Stockwell Day continued to tempt their fate in caucus Tuesday, with one key member suggesting an interim leader would ease the party’s problems.
Chuck Strahl, one of the Alliance’s highest profile MPs, said Tuesday that appointing someone to fill in for Day until a full leadership review is held could be the answer.
“What it would solve is take the focus off the leadership if there was an interim leader — there’d be no fuss because he’s only there temporarily,” said Strahl, who resigned last month from his post as House leader to protest Day.
However, Strahl and others have continued to dance around the word “resign” without actually using it.
Day’s parliamentary officers have already suspended MPs Gary Lunn and Art Hanger from caucus — meaning they can’t attend caucus meetings — for calling on Day to step down.
A caucus protocol committee was meeting Tuesday to decide the fate of MP Val Meredith and others who have openly criticized Day.
Party whip Dick Harris said the committee will review transcripts of everything negative MPs have said about Day.
Meredith told reporters repeatedly Tuesday that it was “obvious” what she was trying to say about Day, without actually using the words: “He should resign.”
She suggested a leadership review should be held before the scheduled April 2002 date.
