P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz to make ‘special announcement’ at event Thursday night

Premier and interim Progressive Conservative Leader Rob Lantz will make a “special announcement” Thursday night, according to a media advisory released by “Team Lantz.”

The event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Delta Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, with “key members of the PC Party” present, the advisory said. 

The advisory does not refer to Lantz as either the premier or the interim PC Party leader.

Thursday's event comes one day after the P.E.I. PC Party announced the date for its leadership convention, which will take place Feb. 7 at the Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown.

Lantz's officials have told CBC News that he will be speaking about his political future on Thursday.

It has been more than nine months since Lantz became the interim leader of the PC Party and P.E.I.’s 34th premier following former premier Dennis King’s resignation in February.

In the weeks and months that followed, Lantz’s political future has made headlines.

First, he said he did not intend to seek the permanent leadership, but also said this:

“I may very much enjoy doing this job and regret that I don't put myself forward for that permanent leadership, but that's my decision,” he told CBC News in an interview after his swearing-in ceremony in February.

Then in May, he issued a statement saying many people had approached him to reconsider his decision, so he left the door open. He said he owed it to them to do that.

But in June, he said again he would not pursue the permanent job.

Under the PC Party's constitution, Lantz is allowed to run. But if he chooses to enter the race, he would have to resign as interim leader within 10 days of the leadership convention announcement — meaning P.E.I. would have another new premier.

As of Dec. 10, there is only one declared candidate in the PC leadership race: lawyer Mark Ledwell.

The deadline for candidates to enter the race is Dec. 24. Party officials have said they expect a “competitive race.”