By Associated Press - Wednesday, January 15, 2020

TORONTO (AP) - Former Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday he is running to be the leader of Canada’s Conservative Party

MacKay tweeted “I’m in. Stay tuned.”

MacKay also served as defense minister in ex-Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. He was also instrumental in creating the annual Halifax International Security Forum.

As leader of the Progressive Conservative party, he helped form the the current Conservative Party of Canada after the Progressive Conservatives merged with the Western-based Canadian Alliance in 2003.

The 54-year-old Nova Scotia native stepped down from politics in 2015 just before Harper lost to Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party.

Conservative Party members will vote on a new leader on June 27 in Toronto.

Current Conservative leader Andrew Scheer stepped down last month after weeks of infighting and a disappointing performance in parliamentary elections in October. Trudeau won a second term despite losing the majority in Parliament.

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