VANCOUVER - An unassuming hard-working eastern Ontario MP has become a minor celebrity here at the Conservative Party biennial convention thanks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's temper tantrum last week in the House of Commons.
Gord Brown has been an MP for 10 years but has never been more famous than when Trudeau grabbed him by the arm and pulled him through a blockade of NDP MPs.
Brown, who is his party's whip, now can't get through the crowd of 3,000 attending the weekend convention here without getting pulled aside -- often by the arm -- and asked all about Elbowgate.
In or out for leadership bid?
Are they in or are they out? Wherever they go at this convention, Kevin O'Leary, Peter MacKay and Jason Kenney are getting asked if they'll jump in the race to succeed Stephen Harper as Conservative Party leader.
O'Leary, the businessman and TV personality, took out a party membership recently but says he's keeping "all options open."
MacKay, a co-founder with Harper of the modern Conservative Party, is now working as a Bay Street lawyer. He says it will have to be a family decision and one they'll make later in the year.
As for Kenney, he's been telling reporters that he's already been an MP for 19 years and that the next leader needs to commit to at least 10 more years in politics. Some wonder if Kenney, who is just 47, may want to explore some other careers.
Ambrose attempt fails
Some here -- including Jason Kenney -- wanted Rona Ambrose, the interim leader of the party, to be the permanent leader.
But the party constitution forbids an interim leader from running. An attempt Friday by Ambrose's fans to change the constitution failed to get enough support.
It would not have mattered anyway: Ambrose has been emphatic that she wouldn't run for the permanent job even if the rules had changed.
Among her biggest fans: Stephen Harper.
"Rona, in a short time, has become one of the most effective opposition leaders this country has ever seen," Harper said in his farewell speech here Thursday night. "She is doing our country a great service and doing our party and our caucus proud."
Tory pot policy changes?
The Conservative grassroots are ready to consider changing their pot policy.
On Friday, Tory members attending a policy workshop approved a proposal to endorse the idea that possession of a small amount of marijuana ought not be a criminal offence.
That proposal will go to a full vote of all party attendees here on Saturday morning.
Even if it passes, though, decriminalization is a long way from what Justin Trudeau and the Liberals plan to do: Completely legalize pot production, sale and use in Canada sometime next year.
Tory thumbs up on same sex marriage?
The Conservative Party has been officially opposed to same-sex marriage ever since the party was created in 2003.
In his first winning campaign in 2006, Stephen Harper vowed to roll-back legalization of same-sex marriage. But with only a minority government at the time, his attempt to do so failed and he never tried again.
On Friday, grassroots Conservatives at a policy workshop voted 279-143 to officially remove the party's opposition to same-sex marriage. But before that becomes official, all 2,300 or so delegates attending the convention have to approve that idea and they will vote on that Saturday morning.
Advocates of the idea say the debate is long over in Canada and removing opposition to same-sex marriage will help make the party more appealing to younger and urban voters.
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