How Conservatives spent Parliament's summer break

Conservatives spent thesummer of 2015 fighting for their governing lives and losing.

With the next shot at electoral redemption three years out, and months before they decide on a new leader, Tories could have taken this summer to relax, renew and regroup.

Ornot.

"I only got my boat on the water once, just to make sure it was running well,"saidManitoba MPJamesBezan, lamenting fitting inamere half-day of fishing.

Instead, thenational defence critic touredmilitary bases and ledhiscaucus through40consultations across Canada in order to submit Conservative ideas tothe government's ongoingdefence review.

His final reportisn'tquite ready for release. But he'll be briefing colleagues this week as the Conservative caucus meets in Halifax to prepare for the fall sitting of Parliament that starts Sept. 19.

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"The one thing that the government seems obsessed with is peacekeeping," he said. But among people theTories consulted, "thatranked very low on the priority list."

Justin Trudeau'sLiberals have been criticized for having "consultation constipation," withkey decisions on hot files on hold, pending policyreviews.

But consultations, roundtablesand town hallshave figured prominently in the summers ofoppositionMPs too, as the party rebrands itself to take on Trudeau.

Time to measure

Alex Nuttall, the critic for economic development in Southern Ontario and "the new sharing economy" (think: Uber, Airbnb), was also touring.

He heard that economicuncertainty is holding back hiring, while businesses wait to see what newCanada Pension Plan changes,carbon pricing or infrastructure decisions will mean.

"We're far enough away from the election now that we can start tosee the results of the current government's decisions, as well as the previous government's," saidthe rookie MP for BarrieSpringwaterOro-Medonte.

For example, he's been looking at how many student summer jobs were created by the $300 million budgeted by the Liberal government for the student summer jobs program.

Thechallenge now iscommunicating why Conservativepolicies will work while the Liberal policies don't havethe desired effect, he says.

Ready to run?

The Conservative leadership race was pretty sleepy for most of the summer.

But high-profile ex-cabinet ministers, as well as former House Speaker Andrew Scheer, a Saskatchewan MP,may have spent a few long, summer nights awake,trying to decide whetherto jump in.

"I have made a decision," Milton, Ont., MP Lisa Raitttold CBC News last Friday. But first, shehad a full summer with her family, including getting married right before her kids went back to school.

She's said she'll play a role in the race. She won't confirm whether that means she'll be a candidate.

Ontario MP Erin O'Toole'ssummer ended with a different answer to the leadership question than it began:in June he'd ruled himself out.

But then Jason Kenneydecided to run for provincal leader in Alberta.His caucus colleagues started calling.Now he's reconsidering.

"People will always say really nice things when they want you to enter the race, but will that lead to some sweat equity?" he said. Fundraising under the current rulesisn't easy.

"I don't embark on a mission without planning," the former AIr Force officerand veterans affairs minister said.

Hitting the road

Amateur sports critic Robert Kitchen did a series of videos on social media featuring him trying out Olympic sports, in a summer projecttoconveysupport for Canada's Olympians.

The rural equivalent of summer door-knocking in his large Saskatchewan riding (43,000 sq km) means a lot of driving.

"With the downturn in the economy that we've had here, to me it's important that I'm there, as opposed to them trying to find me and coming to my office," he said.

Despite the budget's fanfare over billions forinfrastructure spending, nothing'smade its way to his constituencyyet, he said.

In rural Alberta, MP ShannonStubbsfound the same: hermunicipalities alsomissed this year's construction season, at a time when jobs are needed to replace energy sector layoffs.

Many in her riding are "quite alarmed" with what's going on with the Energy East hearings, she said,looking to MPslike her to make the case for energy development.

She did takearoad trip vacation in early August with her husband. Still a newlywed when she was elected,it's been a challenge to adjustto across-countrycommute.

"It was nice to be able to have that time... to reconnect personally," she said. But:"I feel guilty about it, taking time away, especially with all the pressures in my constituency and the challenges that the people I represent are facing."

Liberal assignment

All MPs were sent home with summerhomework: hold a "dialogue on Canadian federal election reform" and report back.

Did Tories who want a referendum, not just roundtables, on whether to change the voting system co-operate?

Some have. Or will,before the October deadline. But not without skepticism, arguing that, save for a few diehards,Canadians aren't as interested in this issue as, say,the economy.

"I take my assignments from my constituents, not from the government," said Edmonton MP Garnett Genuis. (Nevertheless, he helped promotean Edmontoneventlast weekend.)

Karen Vecchio'ssharing anelectoral reform eventwith the two Liberals and one New Democrat who also represent London, Ont., ridings.

But the social development criticspentmore time this summer talking about things like housing, jobs and defence issues.

Other thanone 22-hour trip to Toronto for dinner and a baseball game, she's not really taken a break, she said.

"Being in my first year, this is where I have to root myself."

Fellow rookie Genuis, who has a young family, took the same approach to his summer, enjoying"deeper conversations" on issues closeto home.

Although he hadsome MP-related international travel,"for me, a vacation is staying at home and not getting on a plane."