The caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada voted Wednesday to remove Erin O’Toole (pictured) as its leader. Photo courtesy meet.erinotoole.ca
Feb. 2 (UPI) — The Conservative Party of Canada caucus voted Wednesday to remove Erin O’Toole as its leader, triggering what will become a second leadership race in 18 months.
O’Toole, a Member of Parliament from Ontario, knew Monday the vote was coming but had hoped to sway the required 50% support from the party’s 119 MPs to hang on to power until a scheduled leadership review in 2023.
In a procedural move, he officially resigned as party leader after the 73 to 45 vote, with one abstention.
“I’m not going anywhere and I’m not turning back. Canada needs us to be united and serious! It’s time for a reckoning. To settle this in caucus. Right here. Right now. Once and for all. Anger vs. Optimism. That is the choice in simple terms,” O’Toole tweeted Monday.
“I will accept the result of this vote. The signers of this letter must accept it, too. They brought it. They’ll have to live with it. Rebecca and I are committed to our Party and conservatism in Canada. We look forward to continuing the journey.”
The party has had four leaders since 2015.
“Today, our caucus voted for a change in leadership. Canadians are proud of our identity, as a society that is forward-thinking, globally competitive and a safe place to live. A country that is fiscally responsible and cares about our neighbors. We want our leadership to clearly reflect these values,” tweeted Matt Jeneroux, an Alberta MP who has been critical of O’Toole in the past.
Jeneroux called the result of the vote an “opportunity” for the party to unite a divided membership.
O’Toole, a four-term MP, has faced criticism from the party’s right-leaning base. The former rescue helicopter air navigator in the Royal Canadian Air Force painted himself as a “true blue” conservative in his run for the party’s leadership in 2020, before pivoting to a more moderate stance on several issues during the 2021 federal election.
O’Toole, 49, had been at the helm for shortly over a year before faced with the election, during which the party was not able to increase its number of seats.
“I want to thank @erinotoole for his service to Canada – in the military, in Parliament, in cabinet, and as Conservative leader. I know that service will continue. Going forward, our party is united in its commitment to continuing to work for Canadians,” tweeted Garnett Genuis, a fellow Conservative O’Toole critic.
Under the current Liberal minority government, the next election could be called at any time.
The party is expected to appoint an interim leader shortly.