Ex-Tory MP Lee Richardson mulls run as Liberal in Harper's old Calgary riding
Longtime Conservative politician says he's impressed with federal Liberal government
Longtime Tory MP and Conservative party stalwart Lee Richardson — a top lieutenant to two Alberta premiers — says he's so impressed with the job done by Justin Trudeau's Liberal government that he's thinking of running for them.
Richardson says he is considering making a run for the Liberal nomination in Calgary Heritage — the seat left vacant by Stephen Harper's resignation from Parliament.
"We have a byelection that's really not going to change the government, it's just going to give Calgary Heritage a member of Parliament," Richardson said.
"They have no member of Parliament around. It's a vacancy for the next two and a half, three years, and we have a chance to elect a government member. I think I could best serve in the government caucus and have a voice for Calgary in the government caucus."
Richardson told The Homestretch he has been asked to run in both Calgary-Midnapore, the riding vacated by Jason Kenney so he could run for the provincial Conservative leadership — and Calgary-Heritage, which was vacated by former prime minister Stephen Harper.
He's considering Calgary-Heritage, as that riding "is closer to home for me."
"It's where I've lived all my life, my kids went to school there," he said. "We lived briefly in [Calgary-Midnapore] when I was a member of parliament, but this one demographically suits me better and it's more people I know and am comfortable with."
Richardson says he has been impressed with some things done by Justin Trudeau's Liberals, particularly the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline.
A byelection must be called by the end of February.
First elected as MP in 1988
In the early 1980s, Richardson served as chief of staff for Peter Lougheed, the long-serving Tory Alberta premier.
He was first elected in 1988 as the Progressive Conservative MP for Calgary Southeast and served until 1993.
He was then elected again in 2004 as the Conservative MP for Calgary Centre.
In 2012, Richardson resigned his seat in Ottawa to take a job as the principal secretary to Alison Redford, who was Progressive Conservative premier of Alberta at the time.
Ahead of the last federal election, Richardson ran unsuccessfully for the Tory nomination in Calgary Rocky Ridge.
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With files from The Homestretch