My message to Canadians
— Erin O'Toole (@erinotoole) February 2, 2022
Mon message aux Canadiens pic.twitter.com/iRhq76bteB
Manitoba MP Candice Bergen takes over as the interim Conservative Party federal leader in the wake of the 73-45 vote that ousted Erin O'Toole as party leader.
Bergen is the second straight female interim leader with Rona Ambrose serving between Stephen Harper and Andrew Scheer. O'Toole took over from Andrew Scheer. Party rules prevent the interim leader from running for the permanent post.
O'Toole served slightly more than 17 months in the post (August 24, 2020) with the 2021 federal election during his time. O'Toole tried to steer the party a slightly less conservative approach to woo the 905 sections of the Greater Toronto Area. That pivot didn't come up with a notable gain or loss in Ontario seats.
Even with a minority government, we don't expect an election anytime soon. This would give the Conservative Party a chance to find a new leader and get that person ready.
Pierre Poilievre might not run for the leadership. Poilievre is the prototype of what the Conservatives think they need as a federal leader. He has been the voice you hear to get a Conservative viewpoint. Poilievre may not be the new party leader but he will be someone the potential leaders come to court.
Bergen would certainly qualify but being the interim leader takes her out of contention. Maxime Bernier almost beat out Andrew Scheer for the party leadership. We saw Conservatives worried about the People's Party in key ridings in 2021.
Ambrose came across as a better candidate in her time as interim leader. Kim Campbell is the only woman to have been in charge of the then Progressive Conservatives. That was more of a sinking ship at that point. The Conservatives might be better off with a strong, female candidate but the question has been whether this version would elect a female to the top role within the party.
By the next election or the one after that, Chrystia Freeland might be in charge of the Liberal Party. Would the Conservatives have a female leader at that point?
Erin O'Toole wants to do significant damage to CBC Television and CBC News Network
Erin O'Toole to replace Andrew Scheer as Conservative Party leader
O'Toole wanted to gut key parts of the CBC. The Conservative pressure on the CBC got them changes in how the party is covered, being more referential in key moments. Would the Conservative Party members ever elect someone who would say something like, "we have bigger problems to deal with in Canada than the CBC."
Stephen Harper curtailed the idea of anti-abortion legislation to make the party seemed less threatening. Conservatives would love to bring back conversion therapy, as an example. Where will the next party leader stand on such social issues?
2022 Canadian politics preview
Amita Kuttner is the new interim Green Party Leader, replacing Annamie Paul. There will likely be leadership races in the Green Party and Conservative Party in 2022.
O'Toole is staying in Parliament, representing the Durham riding in Ontario. The new Conservative Party leader is almost certainly going to come out of current MPs. Some provincial MPPs in Ontario, with the election set for June 2, might change their political interest from provincial to federal.
We have made the analogy of the Liberals time in the wild with Stephane Dion and Michael Ignatieff as Liberal Party leaders before Justin Trudeau was the party leader. Conservatives are rooting for the "third time's a charm" but they need a leader who can truly unite the different parts of the party.
Justin Trudeau, Liberals win a third government with back-to-back minority governments
Canadian politics coverage on CanadianCrossing.com
We saw a few Conservative politicians glom on to the trucker convoy that made its way to Ottawa. Posing with people with Nazi flags would seem to be problematic. Then again, people upset over provincial impediments due to COVID-19 traveled to the federal capital, where little can be done on provincial restrictions.
Provided that the next federal election will be well after the major part of the pandemic, will pandemics impact the effect of the new Conservative Party leader? Doug Ford in Ontario and Jason Kenney in Alberta made plenty of terrible decisions in responding to this pandemic. If you elect a government based on how they handle a pandemic, will anyone elect a Conservative leader to Ottawa?
These are questions that should be put to those running to be the leader of the Official Opposition in the federal Parliament in Ottawa.
Twitter capture and photo credit: @erinotoole
Comments