Conservative hopeful MacKay to visit on Thursday

THUNDER BAY -- Hot on the heels of fellow Conservative Party leadership hopeful Erin O'Toole's recent visit to the city, fellow front-runner Peter MacKay is headed to Thunder Bay to rally the troops.

The former defence minister is scheduled for a meet-and-greet session on Thursday night at the Finlandia Club, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The 54-year-old MacKay also served as attorney general and minister of foreign affairs under former prime minister Stephen Harper. He was first elected in 1997 in the Nova Scotia riding of Pictou-Antigonish-Guyborough and served in the House of Commons for 18 years before deciding not to seek re-election the 2015 federal election.

MacKay was also the final leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada before it merged with the Canadian Alliance in 2003.