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Photo taken from a video posted to the CPC Facebook page.
By Curtis Galbraith
Federal Politics

Warkentin surprised Scheer stepped down

Dec 12, 2019 | 5:38 PM

The MP for Grande Prairie-Mackenzie says it was a surprise when he heard Conservative leader Andrew Scheer was stepping down.

Chris Warkentin says he and many others wanted Scheer to stay on.

“But, Andrew came to me and to many of our caucus members in the last number of days and indicated that because of the demands (of) the job and the family, he felt that it was important for him to consider if or not if he could continue on giving 100 per cent to the party and to the duties that are required, especially in a minority Parliament.”

We asked Warkentin if reported in-fighting in the party led to Scheer stepping down.

“The only consideration that that contributed was just a necessity of additional time that Andrew would have to contribute over the next number of months as that (the CPC Convention in April) neared, but also knowing that if he was successful there in terms of the leadership review that it would mean possibly several more years of campaigning full-time, in perpetual campaign mode, as we approach the next federal election.”

We also asked Warkentin what Scheer’s leaving the job might mean for his own political career. He says his number one priority is to defend the residents of the Peace Country in Parliament and that he wants to work with the other opposition parties to hold the government to account when it comes to things like transparency and accountability.

Warkentin adds the CPC’s National Council, the party’s governing body, will decide the leadership process.

“It’ll be up to them to select a time. There are a number of things that they are constrained by in terms of the time limits for leadership. They have to abide by the constitution of the party in terms of putting that together, but I suspect that they will move expeditiously, as quickly as the constitution will allow, to ensure we have a permanent leader in the next number of months.”

Warkentin expects a new leader to be in place by summer.

by Curtis Galbraith