Wary Conservative caucus in ‘wait and see’ mode for Erin O’Toole’s next moves
Global News
"It’s an awkward situation," one MP said, as the "Get Rid of Erin" faction within the Conservative caucus agitate against the party leadership.
Wary Conservative MPs are in a “wait and see” mode as Erin O’Toole plans his next moves to maintain his hold over the party, multiple party sources tell Global News.
Speculation about O’Toole’s ability to hang on to his job has largely fallen silent, as the party conducts its review into how the Conservatives lost a third straight general election.
But MPs who spoke to Global News said caucus is closely watching for two major things in the coming weeks: what O’Toole’s shadow cabinet and leadership team might look like, and whether the Conservative leader changes course on significant policy issues without caucus input.
The former is a chance for O’Toole and his team to signal that they want to give different voices — including more critical voices within the Conservative caucus — a seat at the table in driving the party’s agenda.
The latter is a hangover from the lead up to September’s general election, when caucus learned about major policy decisions — like O’Toole’s 180-degree turn to embracing carbon pricing — from reading the news.
“Erin and his team have made a number of policy decisions and changes without consulting caucus,” said one MP, who agreed to discuss internal party issues on the condition the MP not be named.
“Which I think is why a number of people are so unhappy, right? And I think the approach (now) is, let’s see if he’s learned to not do that anymore.”
One major policy direction that hasn’t dramatically changed since the election is the Conservative position on mandatory vaccinations.