Conservative MPs urge party to unify around O’Toole as others question his leadership

Some re-elected Conservative members of Parliament - along with a former leadership contender - are lining up to say others should get united behind leader Erin O’Toole, as questions swirl about whether his election performance warrants him staying in the job.

An effort has already been started by a member of the party’s national council petitioning for members to get a chance to review O’Toole’s leadership earlier than scheduled in 2023, saying he’s broken their trust.

As of Thursday, it had garnered around 2,300 signatures but has been dismissed by the party’s president as an invalid way to trigger a referendum because a review is set to happen later, and the petition could have been signed by those outside the party.

While some believe it’s time for O’Toole to go, Alberta representative Garnett Genuis took to social media to call on Conservatives to avoid “another round of internal conflict or public navel-gazing” after the unsuccessful campaign.

“We must learn the lessons of the election, share constructive feedback, and remain united behind Erin O’Toole,” he tweeted Thursday.

Michelle Rempel Garner, a high-profile MP who most recently served as the party’s health critic, said she expects the campaign to be reviewed, and “expect our member’s and caucus concerns to be thoroughly addressed.”

“Given that we are in a significant crisis period in Canada, I take Erin O’Toole at his word that he will do this and I will contribute to that process.”

Another boost of support came from former leadership rival and newly elected Ontario MP Leslyn Lewis.

She was welcomed to run after her performance during the party’s 2020 leadership race. As a relative unknown, she won the backing of many social conservatives from the party’s grassroots, who O’Toole drew on to support his win under the ranked ballot system.

“I believe that the rush to apply judgment on our former leader Andrew Scheer, before we had a chance to complete our review of the 2019 campaign, and while emotions were still high, was unwise,” Lewiswrote in a Facebook post Thursday evening.

“I believe that doing the same to Erin now would be equally unwise.”

The Conservatives are projected to finish with 119 seats, two fewer than the party won during the 2019 federal election under Scheer.

The former leader made bigger gains than O’Toole did, but resigned after pressure mounted for him to leave as he continued to be dogged with questions about his socially conservative views around abortion and LGBTQ issues.

O’Toole has said he’s trying to grow the party and has taken a more progressive stance on such matters. He also introduced a Conservative carbon price on fuel after winning the party’s leadership on a promise to be a “true blue” candidate and axe policies like the Liberals’ carbon price.

He’s committed to staying on as leader and admits the party didn’t make the gains it needed to in Metro Vancouver, the Greater Toronto Area and Quebec to defeat the incumbent Liberals.