OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole will face a vote on his leadership.
The Canadian Press has confirmed that Ontario MP Scott Reid, chair of the party’s caucus, has informed MPs that he received written notice with signatures from at least 20 per cent of members requesting a review of O’Toole’s leadership.
The process MPs are following is outlined in the Reform Act, which gives a party’s caucus the ability to trigger a leadership review.
After last year’s election loss, the Conservative caucus gave itself the power to vote on O’Toole’s leadership – a measure the leader described as a welcome exercise in accountability.
In his correspondence to MPs Monday evening, Reid says the notice he received was valid and more details would follow on when a leadership vote would happen.
The Conservative caucus is next set to meet Wednesday. A vote on the leadership of O’Toole, whose office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, would happen by secret ballot.
In a statement on social media, Alberta MP Bob Benzen, who supported O’Toole in the 2017 and 2020 leadership contests, said O’Toole has flip-flopped on party policy and believes it’s time for caucus to review his fate.
“I feel that the Conservative caucus has given Mr. O’Toole more than enough chances for a course correction to resolve the concerns of many of the grassroots members of our party,” it reads.
“In consideration of Mr. O’Toole’s record as leader, I believe a caucus leadership review is the only way to avoid a dangerous split in the Conservative party that may not be repairable.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2022.
The Canadian Press
