Tony Clement drops out of federal Conservative leadership race

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Clement also attributed some of his challenges to the way the party decided to have all donations to leadership candidates directed through the Conservative party of Canada, which then takes a 10-per-cent administrative fee before transferring the money to the individual campaigns.

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“I think there is a certain amount of donor fatigue and it was tough to raise money when basically the party saw us as the fundraising machine,” Clement said.

He suggested his erstwhile rivals would encounter similar struggles.

“I’m the first out. I ain’t going to be the last out. I’m telling you now,” said Clement.

In his video message, Clement said he decided to enter the race to replace former prime minister Stephen Harper based on his longtime experience with the party and a desire to help move it forward.

“We ran a campaign based on my ability to be someone who had the experience, as well as the innovative ideas, to do the job of opposition leader and ultimately prime minister,” Clement said in his video.

Clement said he wished the other candidates the “best of success” and that he would do whatever he can to support interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose and his caucus colleagues throughout the rest of the leadership race and looks forward to playing some other role.

“I’ll find another way to both help my party and also our country,” he said.

This was the second time Clement sought to become leader of the Conservative party of Canada.

He placed third in the 2004 leadership race, behind Harper and Belinda Stronach, after the Progressive Conservatives merged with the Canadian Alliance.

Clement, who served in the Progressive Conservative government of former Ontario premier Mike Harris, also lost to Ernie Eves in the 2002 provincial leadership contest.

The remaining six candidates in the Conservative leadership race are MPs Maxime Bernier, Andrew Scheer, Kellie Leitch, Michael Chong, Deepak Obhrai and Brad Trost.

Others, including MPs Erin O’Toole and Lisa Raitt and former MP Chris Alexander are also expected to join the race.

The first leadership debate is to take place Nov. 10 in Saskatoon.

Conservatives will elect their new leader next May 27.

— With files from Lee Berthiaume

— Follow @smithjoanna on Twitter

Joanna Smith, The Canadian Press