Conservative MPs in Southwestern Ontario envision new way forward in wake of O'Toole ousting

Conservative MPs in Southwestern Ontario are thanking former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole while envisioning a new way forward for the party.

"We've seen that there's been a number of different issues that have come up where there are diverse views in the party and think that's probably part of the cause," Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu said of why O'Toole was voted out by his own caucus.

In an anonymous vote, O'Toole was removed as party leader on Wednesday and Manitoba MP Candice Bergen was named interim leader.

O'Toole stayed on as party leader following last year's federal election — in which the Tories won 119 seats to the Liberals' 160 — but many in the party criticized his shift in stance on issues such as carbon taxation, balanced budgets and "assault-style" firearms. 

Gladu said that while it has been a difficult time during the pandemic, losing an election causes "fractious behaviours" in the party. She said O'Toole ran in the leadership race as a "true blue" conservative. 

"Erin has always been more of a Red Tory as we call them, and so I think it's always difficult to pivot," she said.

Gladu said she hopes to see the party become more unified.

"I want to see us return to our grassroots principles. We are the party of the rule of law [and] of individual rights and freedoms and that's where I'd like to see us go," she said.

Chatham-Kent-Leamington MP Dave Epp issued a written statement thanking O'Toole for his service but also asking his constituents to weigh in on how the party can best represent them.

"Next, my attention as a member of the Conservative caucus turns to the questions of who are we as a party," he wrote. "Where do we need to go as a party to represent the best interests of all Canadians in order to secure enough of their trust to be elected to government so we can implement the changes Canada so desperately needs!"

He added questions about food security, providing for an increasing senior population and supporting Canadian families without "increasing their dependency on government money."

Essex MP Chris Lewis would not tell the CBC which way he voted in the leadership vote but he thanked the former Conservative leader for leading the party "through some very tumultuous times for 18 months in the middle of a pandemic."

"I just want to give all kudos to Mr. O'Toole and just that him for his leadership. He really did some remarkable work along the way in some really rough waters," Lewis said.

Lewis added that now the party has to look forward.