Kellie Leitch holds fundraiser as Conservative leadership race heats up

A former Tory cabinet minister will be feted at a cocktailfundraiser Tuesday, informally kicking off what isexpected to be a long and costlyConservative Party leadership race.

CBC News has obtained an email copy of an invitation to anevent to drum up funds and support forKellieLeitch, a pediatric surgeon andthe former minister of labour and status of women who is expected to mount a leadership bid.

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According to the email, the event at Edmonton'sRoyal Glenora Cluboffers a chance to hear from the Ontario MP about why "she is the best candidate to lead the Conservative Party of Canada into the next election." It also delivers a reminder that donors can give up to $1,525 each calendar year for the cause.

CBC News has also learned that Quebec MP Maxime Bernierwill file his candidacy papers this week, and formally launch his leadership bid at an event in Quebec City later this month. Bernier, who plans to frame his campaign around lean government and ending subsidies for business,hasbeen meeting with party supporters across the country for months now.

The organizer for the Leitch event declined to comment on the "private" event, and a call to Leitchwas not returned.

The emaildescribes Leitch as a "tireless worker and dedicated Conservative."

"She campaigned for 70 different candidates in the most recent federal election; candidates from coast to coast. She did this because she cares about Canada and she believes strongly that the Conservative Party of Canada offers Canadians the best opportunities to lead happy, safe and successful lives," it reads.

Leitch was also involved in last fall'scontroversialcampaign event to announce a new RCMPtip line for so-called "barbaric cultural practices." The move was widely panned, with somecriticism coming from within theConservative ranks.

No registered candidates

Donations are to be paid to theConservative Fund Canada with a "reference" to the Kellie Leitch campaign. The note says MPs and community leaders will be in attendance.

The party's leadership convention will be heldMay 27, 2017.

Otherpossible candidatesinclude former cabinet ministers Tony Clement, JasonKenneyand LisaRaitt, along with businessman and television personality Kevin O'Leary.

Earlypolls suggest former cabinet ministerand ex-leader of the Progressive Conservative PartyPeterMacKay could be afront-runner if he enters the race.

So far, he has only said he hasn'truled out a leadership run.

The spending cap has been set at $5 million, which ismore than five times the $950,000 limit for the 2013 Liberal leadership campaign. The NDP hadlimit of $500,000 in 2012.

Must be card-carrying Tories

The Liberal campaign was five months long, and the NDP race was six months.

Candidates must be card-carrying Conservativemembers for at least six months before they can enter the race.

The Conservative caucus pickedRona Ambrose toserve as leader on an interim basis with the understanding she would not seek the job permanently.

Candidates must register by Feb. 24, 2017.