Rona Ambrose on P.E.I. leg of Atlantic Canada Tory rebranding tour
'I think we have to learn from our mistakes,' says interim federal Conservative leader
Interim federal Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose is on P.E.I. Monday as part of her Atlantic Canada pre-budget consultation tour.
Ambrose is trying to rebuild the federal Tory brand after the party was shut out of the region in the last federal election.
She met with the four Atlantic Progressive Conservative leaders Saturday morning in Halifax and delivered a speech at the Nova Scotia PC's annual general meeting in the afternoon.
Ambrose then headed to P.E.I. where she attended a Super Bowl party at Hunter's Ale House in Charlottetown hosted by Jamie Fox, P.E.I. Progressive Conservative interim leader.
Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/JamieDFox">@JamieDFox</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PEIPCParty">@PEIPCParty</a> for hosting tonight's Super Bowl party! Who's everyone cheering for? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SB50?src=hash">#SB50</a> <a href="https://t.co/cuPgQPvJ2x">pic.twitter.com/cuPgQPvJ2x</a>
—@RonaAmbrose
On Monday, Ambrose attended a P.E.I. PC breakfast before moving on to a business roundtable on the upcoming budget.
"I think we have to learn from our mistakes. We have to focus on our strengths and when I'm here in Atlantic Canada talking to people, what I know our strengths to be has always been on economic management," Ambrose told CBC News.
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"One of the concerns that's been shared with me, when I met with all of the four Conservative leaders, is that increased spending that leads to increased taxes is not a good plan for jobs and growth for the future."
Poor communication of the new employment insurance rules and personality played into the election loss, said Ambrose.
But she believes trips like this one on can help rebuild confidence in the party.
After spending the day in P.E.I., Ambrose will head to New Brunswick where she will address the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday morning.