Prior to then the party's leader was chosen by the caucus or in several cases by the Governor General of Canada designating a Conservative MP or Senator to form a government after the retirement or death of an incumbent Conservative Prime Minister.
Arthur Meighen agreed to serve a second term as leader in 1941 on condition that he would not have to contest the position.
George Halsey Perley, H. H. Stevens, John Allister Currie, John Baxter, Howard Ferguson, Edgar Nelson Rhodes, and outgoing leader Arthur Meighen were all nominated but declined to run.
Wilfrid Garfield Case announced his candidacy but withdrew before the convention to support Drew.
The 1995 leadership convention was held at the Palais des congrès de Gatineau[3] in Hull, Quebec on April 29, 1995, to ratify Jean Charest as leader.
Charest had been named interim leader following the 1993 federal election (and Kim Campbell's resignation as party leader), which reduced the Progressive Conservatives to only two seats, with Charest being the only cabinet minister to win re-election.
Quebec MP André Bachand withdrew his candidacy from the race due to financial concerns and backed Peter MacKay.
Former Cabinet Minister and Quebec MP Heward Grafftey also withdrew his candidacy from the race due to health concerns.