Erin O’Toole enlists Canada Proud founder amid challenge to his leadership
Global News
Global News has learned Jeff Ballingall, the creator of Canada Proud, will work on 'election readiness' for O’Toole as he deals with a public challenge to his leadership.
Erin O’Toole has enlisted the creator of the Canada Proud network amid a public challenge to his leadership, Global News has learned.
Jeff Ballingall, the man behind the Canada Proud and Ontario Proud social media networks, has rejoined O’Toole’s team according to multiple sources. The sources agreed to discuss internal Conservative Party strategy on the condition they not be named.
Ballingall will work with the Conservative Party on “election readiness” – a broad mandate that includes working on the party’s outreach efforts and overall electoral strategy.
He had previously worked on O’Toole’s successful 2020 leadership campaign, running a digital strategy that branded the Conservative leader as “True Blue.” But Ballingall is best known as the force behind Ontario Proud and Canada Proud, social media pressure groups that back conservative causes.
O’Toole has so far resisted making major changes to his team of advisors in the wake of September’s disappointing election results, which saw the party lose ground in key urban and suburban battlegrounds.
A party source told Global News Ballingall’s company, Mobilize Media Group, will continue to work with Canada Proud — which boasts a Facebook following of 354,000 and 24,800 Twitter followers — while being contracted by the Conservative Party. Canada Proud was registered with Elections Canada as a third-party group in September’s federal election.
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