Tory Leader Erin O’Toole to face Conservative caucus for first time after election

The 119 Conservative MPs are set to gather in person in Ottawa where, among other things, they'll have to decide whether they want the power to review O'Toole's leadership.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole will face his caucus today for the first time since his party’s disappointing election defeat two weeks ago.

The 119 Conservative MPs are set to gather in person in Ottawa where, among other things, they’ll have to decide whether they want the power to review O’Toole’s leadership.

Under legislation passed in 2015, each party’s caucus is required to decide after an election whether it wants to empower its members to trigger a leadership review, which requires a written notice backed by at least 20 per cent of caucus.

The rule also allows MPs to elect their own caucus chair and make decisions about whether someone should be expelled from the fold.

A spokeswoman for O’Toole says the leader has always supported these legislative provisions and believes members should vote as they see fit.

Conservatives finished the Sept. 20 election with two fewer seats than they won in 2019 under former leader Andrew Scheer, who resigned as leader under intense pressure shortly after the federal election.

O’Toole’s team also lost five incumbents who were visible minorities and failed to make the hoped-for gains in the key battlegrounds of the Greater Toronto Area, Metro Vancouver and Quebec.

During the campaign, O’Toole made the unusual move of adding a footnote to his election platform promise to repeal a Liberal ban on so-called assault rifles that covers some 1,500 types of firearms. He ultimately decided to maintain the ban despite party policy stating otherwise and instead subject it to a review.