Former Conservative MP Lee Richardson is seen in the House of Commons in 2012.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
In a surprise move, former Conservative MP Lee Richardson says he is considering a run for the federal Liberals in Stephen Harper's old riding of Calgary Heritage.
The veteran political operator, who has spent his career working in conservative circles, said Tuesday that he may seek the Liberal nomination because he wants to get back into politics and believes he can accomplish more in government than in opposition.
Mr. Richardson, 69, said there's a new sense of urgency given the economic hardship many Calgary families are facing, the result of a two-year drop in oil prices and a corresponding unemployment rate above 10 per cent. He added that he was encouraged by the federal government decision last month to approve Kinder Morgan Inc.'s expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline.
"We're in tough times in Calgary," he said. "I believe a strong, experienced voice in the government is will serve constituents better than a rookie in opposition."
Mr. Harper officially resigned the riding last August, 10 months after his party's resounding defeat to Justin Trudeau's Liberals. A by-election must be called for Calgary Heritage – along with the vacant ridings of Calgary Midnapore and Ottawa-Vanier – early next year.
Mr. Richardson started his career in politics as chief of staff to Alberta premier Peter Lougheed and went on to serve multiple terms as an MP. He has never been overly partisan, however, and has had strong relationships with politicians of all stripes. He was part of a cohort of federal Conservatives often lumped into the "Progressive" category who sometimes clashed with more socially conservative, Reform-minded caucus members.
He retired from federal politics in 2012 to work as an adviser to Alberta premier Alison Redford. But not long after he decamped to Edmonton, her leadership support imploded. Mr. Richardson unsuccessfully vied for the Conservative nomination in the riding of Calgary Rocky Ridge in 2015.
He acknowledged that it won't be easy running in a riding where Mr. Harper regularly won thundering victories. However, Mr. Richardson said he is well-known in Calgary and has received support from many friends, including Conservatives, to jump back into politics. He also said voters might be more willing to take a chance on voting Liberal in a by-election than in a general election.
He said he will make a decision about whether to seek the Liberal nomination in the new year.
On Tuesday, Conservative candidate Bob Benzen, 57, said it doesn't really matter who ends up being his Liberal challenger. He said the Trudeau government's economic policies aren't doing much for Calgary's economy and cited Ottawa's decision Tuesday to restrict oil-and-gas development in Arctic waters as the most recent example.
"The most important thing they're going to vote on are Mr. Trudeau's economic policies," he said.
Kelly Cryderman