[Dion]

But she and Progressive Conservative party president Jim McCormick emerged from the four-and-a-half-hour gathering showing a united front.

The "$45,000 question" was discussed, said McCormick, referring to the premier's costly trip to South Africa to attend Nelson Mandela's funeral in December.

"The premier did an excellent job. She didn't back away from any of the rather hard-hitting questions that she was asked. And she was very frank with us as we were very frank with her."

"It was a wide-ranging no-holds barred discussion," he said.

The grilling took place at a regularly scheduled meeting with the party's board of directors, including dozens of volunteers from across the province.

"The premier received a standing ovation," said McCormick. "Absolutely everybody was on their feet."

http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/alber...ting-1.1730911