By Canadian Press

Group championing O’Toole’s strategy for Tories emerges as he faces leadership vote

Feb 1, 2022 | 1:48 PM

OTTAWA — A new group championing Erin O’Toole’s strategy as being best for the Conservative Party of Canada has cropped up just as the caucus is set to force a vote on his future as leader of the party.

Tory activist Fraser Macdonald, who supported O’Toole in the last leadership race, says he had the idea for the effort before news broke that one-third of O’Toole’s caucus wants him gone.

The website for the group, called Majority Committee, launched today — the morning after O’Toole said he intends to fight for his job.

O’Toole’s late-night social media post painted the MPs who signed the letter requesting the leadership vote as believing the party should hold more extreme views resembling those of Ontario MPP Randy Hillier and ex-MP Derek Sloan. 

O’Toole says he is trying to build a more inclusive and moderate brand of conservatism. 

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But those MPs calling for O’Toole’s dismissal say the issue lies with the leader himself and his failings.

They say those include flip-flips on carbon pricing and gun control, along with unclear messages on matters like the truck convoy protest. 

Macdonald says he believes it’s only those who are angry with O’Toole and the direction he’s taken the party whose voices are being heard. 

“My concern is that the party changes its strategy and moves more in a direction where we’re listening to one wing of the party over others,” he said Tuesday. 

MPs expect a leadership vote to happen at the next meeting of national caucus on Wednesday.

Legislation passed in 2015 spells out how a secret ballot vote could be held. If his caucus votes to replace him, a second vote would take place to choose an interim leader of the party. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2022

The Canadian Press