TORONTO - Word that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is about to fill 18 vacant Senate seats raised speculation Thursday that at least one Ontario Progressive Conservative would be named to the upper chamber, clearing the way for party leader John Tory to finally get a seat in the provincial legislature.

None of Tory's 25 caucus members has been willing to step aside since he lost his seat in the 2007 Ontario election, and one former Conservative has been sitting as an Independent since September when he suggested Tory should consider looking for another job.

Tory dismissed questions about a possible Senate appointment for one of his veteran caucus members as "hypothetical," even as Bob Runciman, who fills in as Opposition leader in the legislature, was being welcomed with chants of "Senator Runciman."

"I can tell you I may be the one person who you could canvass around here who would tell you I am definitively not interested in a Senate appointment," Tory said.

Runciman, who sponsored legislation to allow Ontario residents to elect senators, said he had heard nothing from the Prime Minister's Office about a Senate appointment, but admitted he was open to the idea.

"I'd give it serious consideration," Runciman said. "My first preference would be to have an opportunity to run for a Senate seat."

Deputy premier George Smitherman couldn't resist commenting on the rumours after taking a question from Runciman in the legislature.

"I want to wish the honourable member and some of his front-bench colleagues all possible success as being part of the A-Team of senatorial appointments," Smitherman quipped.

Another veteran Ontario Conservative, Norm Sterling, said he hadn't discussed the idea of a Senate appointment with his family or staff, but he didn't rule out accepting such an offer.

"Every politician in Ontario thinks about what it might be like to sit in the Senate," Sterling said. "I don't know whether I'd be interested or not."

Conservative John Yakabuski said he was one of the few at the legislature who wouldn't want a seat in the Senate -- at least not yet.

"Everyone talks about the Senate, especially at Christmas time, because what bigger gift could there be?" Yakabuski asked.

Tory also refused to comment on rumours that he intends to stay on as party leader even if he can't meet his self-imposed year-end deadline to find a riding in which he can run for a seat.

"I have not changed my objective, which is to get this resolved by the end of the year, and I'm working to that end right now," he said.

Tory insisted most of his caucus members are not complaining about his lengthy seat search being a distraction for the party.

"I can tell you that with respect to the overwhelming majority of the caucus, they want me to get it resolved because they want me in the legislature because they very much want me to continue as the leader of this party, and to lead the party into the next election."

Tory's struggles to find a seat have overshadowed the race to replace NDP Leader Howard Hampton, who announced in June that he would step down after the party holds a leadership convention in Hamilton next March.

Hampton vowed Thursday that even though he had likely just sat through his final question period as party leader, he and the New Democrats would continue pushing the Liberals to do more for the economy and to better protect jobs.

"I'll continue to be very active on these issues up to March 5 and after," Hampton said.

"I'm not going away on holidays. I've got work to do."