Canadian Conservatives elected their new leader, Erin O'Toole

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

Conservative supporters have chosen their new leader to succeed their former leader who had resigned. Erin O'Toole won the ballot after an endless count, delayed due to technical problems. The campaign for the Conservative leadership also lasted longer than expected due to the pandemic. The election of this new leader of the opposition party is of great political importance right now, as early elections could take place this fall or winter.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Quebec, Pascale Guéricolas

Erin who? This is the question that many Canadians are likely to ask themselves in the coming months, as the new leader of the Conservative Party remains a complete stranger to most bears, as they say in Quebec.

This MP from the greater Toronto area has left few memories of his time as Minister of Veterans Affairs in 2015, in the previous government led by this party. Analysts define Erin O'Toole as a staunch conservative, proponents of abortion rights, and one who even participated in Gay Pride.

Except that recently, the religious right, follower of more conservative moral values, made a breakthrough in this party. A candidate for this pro-life trend even created a surprise in the leadership race, particularly in the west of the country.

If he wants to rally the votes, Erin O'Toole will therefore have to both appeal to voters who favor a moral right, and those in urban areas who are worried about the consequences of the anticipated economic crisis. To overthrow the liberals in a minority situation and hope to be able to lead the country, the conservative party will therefore have to broaden its electoral base, which is currently stagnating at around 32%.

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

• Canada