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Photo by The Canadian Press.
By Curtis Galbraith
Federal Politics

Letter written by Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP led to change in CPC leadership

Feb 2, 2022 | 8:11 PM

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says he drafted the letter that caucus members signed and eventually led to the removal of Erin O’Toole as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Warkentin calls the leadership change a “challenging decision for caucus.”

“It’s not something that we take lightly, but it was just really a recognition that it was time for us to move in a different direction and to really go back to our members across the country,” he said.

“We believe ourselves to be a grassroots party, believe ourselves to be people that need to listen to people within our communities.”

Warkentin says the party leadership had begun to lose touch with the grassroots, adding he started getting worried after what he calls “a pivot” by O’Toole on changing versus repealing the carbon tax.

“We as a party had not changed our policy,” Warkentin stated. “We as a caucus had not been consulted and I believe that that policy has negatively impacted my ability to defend my constituents.”

“We know that people that live in rural and remote communities, those who live in northern climates, are disproportionally negatively impacted by the carbon tax.”

Warkentin says the tax is making it hard for people to pay their bills and wants the party to go back to opposing a carbon tax.

He also says he was expecting more resistance to the idea and that the process to remove O’Toole was “surprisingly swift”

“People don’t do it lightly. It was a significant burden for people to sign that letter, but the signatures came very quickly this week.”

“Over the last number of weeks, there has just been a recognition that it’s time to change directions and our party was ready to do that,” he added.

Warkentin says a caucus being able to do this is a provision under the Reform Act that was passed by the Harper government. It says 20 per cent of caucus members need to sign the initial letter then a majority must vote to remove the leader.

He adds this is the first time in history this provision has been used. Warkentin says he “took no joy in it” and it “was a sad day for him” but was also something he felt a responsibility to do.

Warkentin says the party is grateful to O’Toole and his family for the sacrifices they made to serve the party, adding the timing for a leadership race is not yet known.

Manitoba MP Candice Bergen has been elected Interim Leader. She had been serving as Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

by Curtis Galbraith