TIGNISH -- Tignish-Palmer Road MLA Hal Perry said Wednesday he was as shocked as anyone else by Olive Crane’s decision to step down as Progressive Conservative Party leader.
Crane called a noontime news conference to announce she was resigning as leader of the party effective January 30.
Perry said she broke the news to her caucus a short time before that.
“Of course I’m shocked,” said Perry, the only Progressive Conservative inside the rail from west of Charlottetown. “Olive Crane means a lot to me. Her leadership style, I really was attracted to that particular style of leadership. Her stepping down did come as a shock.”
He said he supported Crane as leader and will support her successor.
“I respect the leader’s decision to do this, and it was something that she didn’t take lightly,” said Perry, who was at Crane’s side at the news conference. He recalled that she had stated publicly that she would step aside if she thought her leadership would hinder the progress of the party. “That was her decision and she is an honourable woman who has integrity and she’s a woman of her word,” he said.
Less than two hours after Crane’s announcement MLAs, including Crane retuned to the floor of the Legislature.
“We are not deflated by any means,” Perry insisted, “We went into the House today just like it was any other day, to do the work that we were elected to do.”
Crane will be remaining on as MLA for Morell-Mermaid and she indicated she plans to seek re-election.
