Stephen Harper and Chong

environmental policy Chong: It part of a broad rethink of environmental policy Chong, 45, said he will bring to the race — one he considers necessary if the Conservatives are to attract new voters and win back the trust of those who deserted them last fall. "We have to attract younger people to our party and that begins by shifting our positions on issues like the environment," Chong told a news conference, according to Metro News. The Tories were thrust into a leadership contest after former prime minister Stephen Harper stepped down as party chief on election night. Chong, a southern Ontario member of Parliament, said with carbon pricing already in effect at the provincial level, the federal Tories must refocus their energies on ensuring the revenues go towards reducing taxes. His resignation followed a campaign that critics, and later Conservatives themselves, said was marked too much by divisive policies such as the call for a "barbaric practices" tip line and the relentless push for a ban on wearing face veils during citizenship ceremonies. But while he disagreed with the tip line, he said he does support the face covering ban, though wouldn't necessarily push to have it enshrined in legislation."I agree with the government decision on the niqab in respect of citizenship ceremonies," Chong said. "We live in a free society and people can wear what they want. Chong said he didn't see those two issues as the sole reasons his party was reduced to Opposition status. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.