The Conservative Party leadership race evening took a very long time. Those in Newfoundland who stayed up didn't get a decision until 2:35 am local time. The Toronto Raptors Game 4 and the vast majority of the Vancouver Canucks Game 1 took place in the time waiting for the results.
Erin O'Toole was in second place after the first ballot but close enough to Peter MacKay, the odds on favourite. Leslyn Lewis finished a strong third on the first ballot. Derek Sloan was eliminated on the first ballot; Lewis after the second ballot.
O'Toole went over the top due to being the second choice of Lewis and Sloan supporters. He finished with 57.02% of the vote on the third ballot.
O'Toole finished third in the 2017 Conservative leadership race. O'Toole is already in Parliament, a MP from the Durham (ON) riding. O'Toole succeeds Andrew Scheer as Conservative Party leader and the leader of the Official Opposition.
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O'Toole served in the cabinet with Veteran Affairs under Stephen Harper.
Though O'Toole said he speaks French "like an Anglo," his French seems better than Scheer spoke during the federal debates in 2019.
Peter MacKay was the leader of the Progressive Conservatives when the party united with the Canadian Alliance to become the modern Conservative Party in 2003. Though there wasn't much difference between MacKay and O'Toole, the latter was considered more conservative.
O'Toole being in Parliament helps the Conservatives as the federal government is in minority status. You might recall that Jagmeet Singh won election as the NDP Leader but had to wait for an by-election to be in Parliament.
The Green Party will have its own leadership race in October to replace Elizabeth May.
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CBC made the decision to stay with the Conservative Party coverage, the hours and hours of waiting for ballots, rather than cover the Vancouver Canucks Game 1 coverage. Regardless of party, CBC News Network had the coverage the whole time and was available online as well.
photo credits: CBC News
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