Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs Votes to Remove O’Toole

Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs Votes to Remove O’Toole

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

On Feb. 2 the majority of caucus voted by secret ballot to remove Erin O’Toole as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. A total of 118 votes were cast at the virtual meeting with 73 MPs voting in favour of replacing O’Toole, while 45 MPs voted to endorse his leadership.

Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs did share with the Vegreville News Advertiser that she voted to remove O’Toole.

Following the vote, O’Toole submitted his formal resignation to the party effective immediately. He did opt to stay on to serve as the Durham, Ontario Member of Parliament.

Earlier in the week, one-third of the caucus signed a letter to force the leadership review.

Stubbs did voice her concerns in regards to leadership publicly after the September 20 federal election when Conservative support in Alberta fell by nearly 14 percent. According to Elections Canada, Tories were left with 55.4 percent of the vote in Alberta compared to 69 percent in 2019.

During a post-election interview with reporters in Ottawa, Stubbs stated that, “I would just say that having 15 percent fewer voters vote for me in this election compared with 2019, and 5 percent less compared to 2015 is a message that I take very seriously, I do not take it lightly at all.”

Stubbs said they suffered serious losses in the Greater Toronto Area as well as areas around Vancouver and three seats in Alberta.

At that time, Stubbs said Conservatives, “lost by every measure, every metric, in every city, across every major group” and she wanted a full and comprehensive review of the Conservatives overall election campaign, asking for accountability as well as a clear roadmap forward.

“Well, my members in Lakeland want to see a full review and they want to see accountability for the outcome of the election. So, I would suggest if there continue to be questions and debates and issues happening, the best thing of all will be for Conservative party members to have their say.

As you know, it is practice and rule in the spirit and intent that members do review the leadership after every general election. It happens to be the case with the scheduling and COVID and logistics and challenges that the current convention is scheduled for 2023. I would suggest a real good start – in addition to letting us know the details of this campaign review – would be to allow the members to have their say. It should be feasible within the next six months, seems to me.”

In early October, Conservative MPs voted to conduct a review on the Tories leadership campaign and elected a caucus chair. In mid-November Conservative Senator Denise Batters initiated a petition requesting a review of Erin O’Toole’s leadership of the party within six months. Days later, Sen. Batters was removed from caucus.

On Dec. 6 the Globe and Mail reported that O’Toole was calling for probe of dissident MP Shannon Stubbs over alleged staff mistreatment. Claims by two former aides were never substantiated and no formal investigation ever took place.

On Feb. 3 Stubbs issued a blanket statement on the leadership vote and congratulated Candice Bergen as the Conservatives Interim Leader.

Stubbs stated, “Canada’s Conservatives have been most successful when we have remained true to our core principles and when we have remained steadfast in our commitment to represent the views and ideas of our constituents.

As a Member of Parliament, I want to know that I can represent the values and priorities of my constituents internally and externally, that I can always have my say even if I don’t always get my way for them, in a respectful way that honours our team but that never makes me choose between Lakeland and my leader, or that results in reprisals and pressure. I will always choose Lakeland.

Since it is true that united, we stand and divided we fall, the reality is that many Members of Parliament are risk averse and must balance many competing interests – sometimes to the frustration of their voters. MPs work directly with each other on a daily basis and in intense situations. When MPs take an extraordinary action, as happened yesterday, people can trust it has been done for grave reasons. I look forward to the months ahead, and I am confident that our next leader will unite our party, unite Canada, and help us to formCanada’s next Conservative government.”