Local politicians weigh in on CPC leadership change

By COLLIN GALLANT on February 3, 2022.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Conservative Party members will elect a new head after the party’s members of parliament voted out leader Erin O’Toole on Wednesday.

Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner MP Glen Motz was unavailable for comment Wednesday as MPs met online and voted in the afternoon then met again late in the evening to choose an interim leader. His office said a press availability would be scheduled for Thursday.

Other conservative politicians in the region also weighed in on the change in the federal party.

“I really hope that our federal counterparts are considering Conservative unity moving forward,” said Michaela Frey, the MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat.

According to The Canadian Press, the votes against and for O’Toole remaining leader was 73-45, respectively, from 119 CPC members of parliament who met on a conference call Wednesday. Caucus chair Scott Reid did not vote.

Observers say O’Toole’s inability to present a consistent message or defeat or gain ground on the Liberal minority government led by Justin Trudeau in the last election led to his eventual downfall.

Independent MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, and former United Conservative party member, Drew Barnes took the opportunity to again criticize the leader of his former Party, United Conservative Premier Jason Kenney.

“This truly demonstrates what elected officials can accomplish when they stand up for their constituents in the face of a leader who lies, flip-flops, and disregards the democratically expressed wishes of party membership,” wrote Barnes in a joint release with fellow UCP exile Todd Loewen.

Loewen wrote in a joint release with Barnes that O’Toole’s undoing was a reliance on “strategists and lobbyists” over party members, a likely reference to the CPC’s platform including a carbon levy.

“The same thing is happening in Alberta,” added Barnes. “Premier Kenney has completely tuned out the conservative grassroots, especially when it comes to vaccine passports, vaccine mandates, government spending, and run-away corporate welfare.”

MP Martin Shields (Bow River) republished a message that the particulars of the vote were a matter of caucus confidentiality.

“Justin Trudeau has divided Canada to a degree not yet seen in this country,” it read. “Conservatives will continue to hold the Liberal government to account, address the deep-rooted division and unite this country.”

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