OTTAWA -- The Conservative Party of Canada has a new leader. His name is Erin O鈥橳oole and he won the party鈥檚 leadership race with 57 per cent of the vote after a ballot count delayed by thousands of damaged ballots
His victory came in part due to key support in the prairie provinces and Quebec, a strong social media presence, and his welcoming of the range of viewpoints within the party.
O鈥橳oole took populist policy positions looking to appeal to the base of the party, describing himself as the "true blue" candidate and
The Ontario MP takes the helm of the federal Conservative parliamentary caucus of MPs at a key time, one that could see him running to be Canada鈥檚 next prime minister as soon as a month from now.
In his first speech as leader he made the pitch to non-Conservative voters to 鈥渟ocially distance themselves鈥� from their political affiliations and consider his party.
So, what can party members and Canadians expect from O鈥橳oole as the new Andrew Scheer? Here鈥檚 a look at some of what he promised to do during the campaign if he became leader.
'DAY ONE' ACCOUNTABILITY
O'Toole has routinely touted his standing as a current MP as a key asset in holding the Liberals to account 鈥渙n day one.鈥�
In his victory speech early Monday, O鈥橳oole spelled out how he plans to lead an effective Official Opposition, including continuing to 鈥減oint out Liberal failings and corruption.鈥�
He has yet to weigh in on whether he鈥檒l be ready to take down Prime Minister Justin Trudeau鈥檚 minority government in a fall confidence vote, but he鈥檚 been one of the strongest critics of the ongoing WE Charity student grant controversy. His first speech as leader included a dig on the ongoing ethics probes into Trudeau and former finance minister Bill Morneau, saying it鈥檚 time to give the federal ethics commissioner 鈥渁 break.鈥�
Expect O鈥橳oole to reconfigure his front bench ahead of the new session of Parliament getting underway on Sept. 23. Typically, new leaders like to shuffle the deck of their critic portfolios, or 鈥渟hadow cabinet鈥� to reward MPs who backed them in the campaign.
It鈥檒l also be up to O鈥橳oole to determine how he treats those who did not support his leadership, as caucus unity will be essential heading into the next few months.
BRING SO-CONS, PROGRESSIVES IN
Appearing to try to avoid what became a repetitive burden for his predecessor鈥攓uestions about his LGBTQ and abortion policies鈥擮鈥橳oole stated in his first speech as leader that there is a place in his party for all Canadians, regardless of race, religion, or sexual orientation, though he is set to face questions about what that will look like in practice.
O鈥橳oole ran a campaign that included expressing openness and acceptance of the social conservative cadre of the party and in the end he picked up necessary down-ballot support from third and fourth-placed socially conservative candidates Leslyn Lewis and Derek Sloan, while alleging Peter MacKay was trying to divide the party with his progressive views and suggestion that social issues were the party鈥檚 2019 downfall.
He campaigned on marching in pride parades so long as first responders could too, and said that while he is pro-choice, he鈥檇 of health-care practitioners.
National President of the Campaign Life Coalition Jeff Gunnarson said O鈥橳oole鈥檚 win shows that social conservatives 鈥渃ontinue to be a of the CPC base,鈥� though Conservative MP Michelle Rempel predicted that 鈥渦nder O'Toole, we'll have room to and the LGBTQ community.鈥�
It remains to be seen how the various factions within the party and caucus feel about coming together, and what O鈥橳oole will do about Sloan鈥攚hose remarks have prompted calls for him to be ousted from caucus鈥攇iven the new leader鈥檚 strong stance on defending free speech.
ALTER COVID-19 BENEFITS
O鈥橳oole鈥檚 win as Conservative leader comes as Canada continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has already started making the case that his party would be better suited to lead the country at this time.
鈥淲e just emerged from the first wave of the largest health crisis in our history. Premiers across our country have shown real leadership amid the COVID-19 crisis,鈥� O鈥橳oole said in his Monday speech.
鈥淲e can rebuild our great country while protecting Canadians from the ongoing threat of COVID-19. We can get Canadians back to work鈥� We must have a government that will keep us safe and ensure that we are never ill-prepared again.鈥�
O鈥橳oole has vowed that if he were prime minister, he would plot a path to balance the ballooned $343-billion federal deficit and 鈥渨ind down鈥� the emergency benefits, including the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
He also said he鈥檇 study how to extend Employment Insurance, something the Liberals are currently working on.
While not a COVID-19 specific program, O鈥橳oole has said that a government led by him , by allowing benefits to begin for the first child earlier.
LET PROVINCES SCRAP CARBON TAX
The Conservatives鈥� position on climate change has been a central focus over the last number of years, and O鈥橳oole has taken the position of letting the provinces and territories decide how they want to tackle their greenhouse gas emissions.
鈥淎 carbon tax is not an environmental plan, it is a tax plan. We need a smarter approach, one which recognizes that Climate Change is a global problem, that requires a global solution,鈥�
He also outlined an entire of his platform, including commitments to repeal Trudeau鈥檚 environmental regulation legislation.
Citing the challenge of western alienation, O鈥橳oole promised to respect Albertans and their energy sector, gaining him the endorsement of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in the leadership race.
鈥淓rin is a brilliant, principled patriot who is driven by a desire for a stronger Canada. He is committed to a fair deal for the West and a strong future for our resource industries,鈥� said
HE WANTS TO DEFUND THE CBC
O鈥橳oole also campaigned on defunding portions of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, rolling back should be become prime minister.
More broadly he鈥檚 also vowed to end what he called 鈥淭rudeau鈥檚 $600 million media bailout,鈥� advocating instead for media independence.
The program he is referring to is the Liberals鈥� pledge to roll out to select news media outlets, with the intent of supporting Canada鈥檚 journalism sector.
Because the funding is aimed at bolstering the print news industry, CTV News and other major broadcasters don鈥檛 qualify.
O鈥橳oole鈥檚 position was echoed by Scheer in his final speech as leader where he implored Conservatives to be wary of 鈥渕ainstream media bias.鈥�
CHANGES TO JUSTICE, DEFENCE, FOREIGN POLICY
The O鈥橳oole campaign also made promises to 鈥渇ocus on criminals鈥� with a , cracking down on certain offenders, as well as promising to reverse any if the Conservatives form government.
On foreign policy he wants to see a new Canada-Australia-New Zealand-United Kingdom within the first 100 days of an O鈥橳oole government, and he鈥檚 also taken a hard line on China.
鈥淐anada and the world deserve a strong and principled foreign policy that truly aligns with Canadian values and interests 鈥� one that focusses on strengthening alliances with like-minded countries, facing down the threat posed by China,鈥� read
As for defence and veterans鈥� affairs -- two files close to the former Air Force navigator -- O鈥橳oole wants to see an , fast-track procurement, and for former soldiers.
