Conservative MPs prepare to rebuild, pick interim leader
With the Liberal government preparing to take power, the defeated Conservative party turns its attention to rebuilding lost public support — starting with the election of an interim leader Thursday.
Eight Tory MPs have put their names forward for the task of holding Justin Trudeau’s government to account on a long list of promises.
The temporary successor to Stephen Harper also must shepherd the Tories through a leadership race, while keeping tabs on the large crop of rookie MPs who make up about one- third of the party’s 99 MPs. Thirty- five Conservatives elected Oct. 19 ( 33 new faces and two former MPs from previous years) didn’t serve in the past Parliament.
So why would anyone want the job of interim leader?
It’s likely not about the perks, although the winner, elected by Tory MPs, will get an additional $ 80,100 in salary as leader of the official Opposition in the House of Commons. He or she also will get to live at Stornoway — the residence of the Opposition leader in Ottawa’s posh Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood — until a new Conservative leader is chosen.
“I don’t think we need to just see it as a placeholder time,” said Candice Bergen, one of the candidates for interim boss. “A lot of times, that’s what interim is, it’s someone ( who) comes in and just sort of holds the fort down. But I think that there’s a lot more that we can do.
“Many times Conservatives aren’t great with change and I think we need to show Canadians we can change.”
Bergen said the party must also demonstrate that it’s championing strong conservative policies.
Bergen, who isn’t fluent in French, said that, if chosen, she would have a Quebec lieutenant to help ask questions during question period.
MP Mike Lake, who also doesn’t speak French fluently, said he is seeking the interim leadership because it’s an important time to bring MPs together.
“That’s something that we need right now, not only a coming together of our caucus — both on the House and Senate sides — we need to be able to reach out and bring Canadians together about how we move forward,” he said.
Others seeking the interim leadership job are: Diane Finley, Rob Nicholson, Erin O’Toole, Rona Ambrose, plus Michelle Rempel and Denis Lebel, who announced they are running as a package deal.
Harper, meanwhile, will deliver a final speech to the caucus Thursday. It is expected he will accept responsibility for his party’s election loss.
Defeated caucus members also will be given an opportunity to provide feedback about the election and say goodbye to colleagues.
Longtime Calgary Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai, as the Tory MP with the longest period of unbroken service in the caucus, will act as chairman for the meeting.
Before selecting an interim leader, Conservative caucus members must vote on four provisions in the new Reform Act championed by Tory MP Michael Chong in an effort to rebalance powers between MPs and their party leaders. MPs from other parties also are required to vote on whether to adopt parts of the Reform Act.
MPS WILL BE ASKED TO VOTE ON:
Whether MPs should be given the power to trigger a secret ballot leadership review if 20 per cent of them request one ( with the names of those asking for review being published);
Whether MPs should be given the power to expel and reinstate caucus colleagues via secret ballot by a majority of caucus members. A caucus member could be expelled only if 20 per cent of MPs requested a vote on it;
Whether MPs should be given the power to elect an interim leader via majority secret ballot;
Whether MPs should be given the power to elect a caucus chair by a majority of members via secret ballot.
Members of Parliament in all parties passed Chong’s Reform Act this year in the House of Commons by a vote of 260- 17.