Erin O'Toole wants his party to find a 'balance' between conservatism and populism. What if it doesn't?

Erin O'Toole, who was dumped as Conservative leader in February, sounds a little worried these days.

"Whoever the next leader is … they will have to get the balance right between conservative, traditional policies and populism," O'Toole told CBC Radio's The House in an interview airing this weekend.

"And I believe as leaders we have to channel people's frustrations into positive change, not add fuel to the fire."

O'Toole related an anecdote about going to a recent community gathering in his riding.

"People are coming up to me with things they're reading on social media, conspiracies and ideas and frustration. What I try and do is say, 'OK, let's sort through that because what you're seeing is not correct,'" he said. "Whoever wins will have to get that balance right."

Citing the influence of American culture and the effects of Western alienation, rural issues and pandemic fatigue, O'Toole said Conservatives need to "come up with positive change, not add to the anger."

"Anyone that wins will have to strike that right balance for the well-being of the country. That's what I was always trying to say to my caucus."

LISTEN: Erin O'Toole's gives his first media interview since his ouster as Conservative leader

He said he hopes the next Conservative leader will "realize that the country is in a fractious state but provide a plan to heal those divisions."

O'Toole's comments raise important questions for his party and for the candidates competing to succeed him as leader.

They also point to a big question for moderate Conservatives — what will they do if the next Conservative leader doesn't strike the right balance?

What O'Toole is saying now is reminiscent of what he was saying earlier this year when it became clear he would face a vote on his leadership. At that time, he said the Conservative Party had to choose between two paths — between being "angry, negative and extreme" and being a party of "inclusion, optimism, ideas and hope."

O'Toole has stayed out of the party's leadership race and still refrains from commenting on specific candidates or proposals. But his interview with The House follows some pointed comments he made last week on a podcast hosted by Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith.

"There's always going to be an element of populism to politics — there will be, 'What are people passionate about?'" O'Toole told Erskine-Smith. "But what I worry about is with the populism of anger or frustration or dislocation … that can undermine institutions, it can undermine national unity. And so I think this is something all candidates have to be aware of."