▁majority ▁of ▁ 5 5 % ▁in ▁a ▁race ▁with ▁four ▁candidates . ▁ ▁Bernard ▁Lord ▁placed ▁his ▁reputation ▁on ▁the ▁line , ▁according ▁to ▁p und its , ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁choice ▁of ▁a ▁high - profile ▁candidate ▁and ▁his ▁announ cing ▁over ▁$ 5 0 ▁million ▁in ▁sp ending ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁four - week ▁campaign . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁many ▁viewed ▁this ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁huge ▁blow ▁to ▁Lord ' s ▁leadership ▁and ▁that ▁it , ▁along ▁with ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁opinion ▁pol ling ▁showing ▁Lord ' s ▁PC s ▁trailing ▁the ▁Liber als , ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁government . ▁ ▁The ▁by - e lection ▁also ▁had ▁immediate ▁province - wide ▁re per cuss ions , ▁bringing ▁the ▁stand ings ▁in ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁to ▁ 2 7 ▁government , ▁ 2 7 ▁opposition ▁and ▁the ▁speaker . ▁ ▁These ▁stand ings ▁would ▁mean ▁that ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁one ▁government ▁member ▁- ▁even ▁if ▁he ▁or ▁she ▁did ▁not ▁vote ▁with ▁the ▁opposition ▁- ▁could ▁defeat ▁the ▁government . ▁ ▁Tim eline ▁October ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁- ▁Elizabeth ▁We ir ▁res ign s ▁from ▁the ▁seat ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁President ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Energy ▁E ffic iency ▁and ▁Conserv ation ▁Agency . ▁October ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁- ▁Mich elle ▁H oot on ▁announ ces ▁she ▁will ▁be ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv