TORONTO - Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory has set his sights on winning a seat in the Ontario legislature by the end of this year after losing a head-to-head battle with Liberal Education Minister Kathleen Wynne in the last general election.

Tory has spent the time since the October 2007 vote travelling Ontario and rebuilding the party. While he isn't revealing his plans, he says he's been talking with caucus members to find someone willing to give up a seat so he can run in a byelection next year.

"I've put the time to good use over the past six months, but I think it's time to find that opportunity, and I'm in the midst of doing so, and I hope it'll present itself before too long," Tory said in a recent interview.

"I'm understanding of the fact that it should present itself hopefully sooner than later, and get me back in the house some time this year."

While Tory says he's actively seeking a riding to run in, at least one political scientist believes there is no real rush for the PC leader to get a seat with the next Ontario election not until October 2011.

"There's a long time between now and the next election, so conceivably he could wait," David Docherty, dean of arts at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, said last week. "It's one of these chicken-and-egg questions.

"Can he get the support of his party by winning a seat, or does he spend the time not looking for a seat but getting the support of his party?

So far, no one has fallen on the sword -- publicly at least -- for the embattled leader.

"A number of people have seen the persistent inquiries of the media and have been willing to chat with me about the issue, and I've been getting advice and having conversations with a number of people," Tory said.

Former leadership candidate Frank Klees admitted last week he finds his time on the opposition benches "frustrating," but said he won't resign so Tory can run in his Newmarket-Aurora riding north of Toronto.

"I've heard some suggestions that my riding may be in play, but let me dispel any of that misinformation," Klees said in an interview. "My intention is to certainly serve out my term, and I would hope that I would be part of the next administration in government."

York-Simcoe Conservative Julia Munro also dismissed suggestions she'd be willing to resign, saying she recently assured her riding association she's staying put.

Other Conservatives rumoured to be possibly willing to relinquish their seat declined to be interviewed.

After taking over the Conservative leadership from former Premier Ernie Eves in 2004, Tory won Eves's old Orangeville-area riding in a byelection, but vowed to seek a seat in a Toronto riding in the 2007 general election -- despite warnings that Wynne was unbeatable.

After losing the election, in part because of his proposal to fund private religious schools, Tory immediately faced calls for his resignation from disgruntled Conservatives, some of whom started organizing against him.

Tory didn't help his cause at an automatic leadership review in January when he scored 66.9 per cent support, and then dithered for several hours before telling delegates he would stay on as leader.

"If anything, that kind of shows that he's not a decisive leader," said Docherty.

"He tried to spin it. You know he's contemplative, he doesn't do things rashly. I think there's still some stuff coming out of the convention and he has to make sure he heals those sores within the party."

Liberal insiders dismissed suggestions Wednesday that the governing party would convince one of its members to quit to force Tory to run in a Liberal stronghold, noting that byelections are often used as protest votes against sitting governments.

Premier Dalton McGuinty said that it was "important" for Tory to get a seat in the legislature, which Docherty said wasn't surprising, given the Conservatives' showing last fall.

"Quite frankly, the Liberals might want to have John Tory around in 2011, so it probably doesn't hurt them to have him win a seat."