(Ottawa) After having voted by a large majority (62%) to eject their leader Erin O’Toole from his post, on Wednesday afternoon, the members of the Conservative Party entrusted a few hours later to the elected representative of Manitoba Candice Bergen the task of leading the formation on an interim basis until the election of the next leader.
Updated yesterday at 8:43 p.m.
The mutiny of about thirty deputies, led by Albertan Chris Warkentin, was therefore crowned with success. The Conservative Party is forced to hold a third leadership race since 2017. The reigns of Andrew Scheer and Erin O’Toole were the shortest.
PHOTO BY BLAIR GABLE, REUTERS
Candice Bergen, in the House of Commons, Wednesday
Of the 118 deputies who voted secretly on Wednesday after a caucus meeting, 73 expressed the wish that Erin O’Toole be replaced, while 45 supported his leadership. Only caucus chairman Scott Reid, to whom nearly a third of Conservative Party MPs had asked for a vote of confidence, did not vote.
At the start of question period, shortly after, the elected Conservatives all thanked Erin O’Toole for her dedication. “It’s a new beginning”, we heard from the mouths of several of them. And while denying that the party is divided, most of them said they hoped for the election of a new captain who would be able to “unite” the conservative troops.
No one wanted to dwell on the reasons for the anger that led to the disavowal of Mr. O’Toole, who had been in the saddle for less than a year and a half, or on what awaits the party. Because it has just lost a second leader in the space of about two years, after Andrew Scheer – the latter, who rushed into the West Block without answering questions from reporters on Wednesday, has slammed the door in December 2019.
Attempt to refocus
The Saskatchewanian came from the more right wing of the party. His successor, from Ontario, tried to refocus during the election campaign, to the chagrin of many western MPs. But “there is no West-East schism,” insisted Alberta MP Tom Kmiec in a scrum, in excellent French. Conservative Senator from Quebec Claude Carignan made the same observation. The latter attended the meeting, but he did not have the right to vote. Only the deputies had the right to decide on the fate of the leader.
“The lack of trust was widespread. Mr. O’Toole was good for Quebec, but his leadership did not live up to caucus expectations,” summed up his colleague Pierre Paul-Hus. To whom, then, should the reins of the party be entrusted? “Listen, the body is not cold yet,” replied MP Joël Godin, describing himself as a “progressive conservative”.
In all, nine deputies had indicated their intention to present themselves as candidates for the interim leadership. The candidacy of M.me Bergen, who was deputy leader under Erin O’Toole, rallied the majority of Tory MPs.
As for Mr. O’Toole, he submitted his resignation to the party authorities. “The National Executive listens to the many voices of our party. No matter where you are in our Conservative coalition, let’s focus now on working together, respecting each other, listening to each other and finding a path to unity under our next leader,” the party’s president wrote to members. , Rob Batherson.
In the streets of the city center, the chorus of truckers’ horns notably intensified after the announcement of this disavowal. According to what conservative sources told The Press, the straw that broke the camel’s back of latent discontent was the leader’s dithering in the days leading up to the arrival of this “freedom convoy” in Ottawa.
Prominent elected officials like Candice Bergen, Andrew Scheer and Pierre Poilievre had given the movement their stamp of approval. Chief O’Toole initially expressed his reservations, saying it was beyond his purview, as a politician and party leader, to support this type of initiative or not. He then turned around.
“The Honor of a Lifetime”
The ejected leader reacted by video, on Facebook. While assuring the future leader of his complete “loyalty”, he specified that he would remain MP for his constituency of Durham, “because there is no bad seat” in the House of Commons, whether he is in front or back of the room. He also urged his formation to listen to all voices, even dissenting ones.
“Listen to all voices, not just the echoes of your own tribe,” he argued. “What Canadians need is balance, ideas and inspiration from the Conservative Party,” said the ousted leader, saying he wants a “strong and modern” party that is “at the both an intellectual power and a power of governance”.
Serving as leader of the Conservative Party has been “the honor of a lifetime”, he said, thanking his wife, Rebecca, and their two children with emotion.