Mulroney party backs Campbell

MONTREAL (AFP) - The Canadian Defense Minister, Kim Campbell, has the strongest support in the Progressive Conservative Party in the race to succeed the Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney. A Compass Institute survey of 450 party members showed 38 per cent supported Ms Campbell. The party will hold a convention in June to choose a successor to Mr Mulroney, who announced last month he was stepping down.

A Gallup poll taken earlier this month indicated that with Ms Campbell, 45, as its leader, the Conservatives would get 37 per cent of the vote in parliamentary elections while with Mr Mulroney in charge they would have received 16 per cent.