Quote:
Originally Posted by BretttheRiderFan
I can't believe the PCs kept Stanfield around for three elections. That would absolutely never happen nowadays.
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It can if expectations for the leader aren't necessarily that high, and then of course if they have support among grassroots.
Jack Layton was able to stay as leader for four elections because he was never expected to win and had been able to grow the party bit by bit each election. On the hand Mulcair was suppose to deliver them a win and went into the election leading. In 2012, many New Democrats compromised their beliefs by selecting a centrist leader because he was a Quebecker who stood the best chance of winning an election. When selecting past leaders the idea of who's going to deliver an election win wouldn't have really been on peoples minds.
At the moment many Conservatives realize that Trudeau stands a good shot of winning a second term and a two election strategy is needed. If the next leader is able to keep the support they had in the last election or better yet gain support then they stand a good chance of sticking around. This was Dion's problem in 2008. At the time he led the party to their worst electoral showing in history, despite having been competitive with the Conservative prior to the writ dropping. Had he gained support while keeping Harper in minority he may have stuck around. He may have also struggled with the grassroots because he wasn't many peoples first choice when he won the election.
As for the actual topic of the thread... I don't really know. Bob Stanfield is usually the name most associated with this question.
Maybe I'll go with John Crosbie. Just because he's John Crosbie!