Tory MPs pleased with O’Toole’s win

Special to The Herald

The appeal, experience, and youthfulness of new Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole will help propel the party back into power, the party’s two Central Okanagan MPs say.

Tracy Gray and Dan Albas on Monday outlined the qualities they believe O’Toole showed during his successful leadership campaign, and which will become apparent to more Canadians in the months ahead.

“I’ve appreciated seeing his work ethic, common sense approach, and the way he connects with people,” Gray wrote in an email. “He is a strong parliamentarian who holds the government to account, asks tough questions, and has put forth his clear vision.”

“A real advantage of having just completed his successful campaign is that Mr. O’Toole has heard from Canadians from coast to coast,” Albas wrote in an email. “He will press for accountability as well as voice policies that will show Canadians that they will have a credible choice, whenever it may be, in the next election.”

Albas, whose riding includes part of Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, and Summerland, noted that O’Toole served in the military for 12 years, helped create a charity that helps veterans, and also worked as a lawyer before winning election to Parliament.

“And yet he is younger than (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau,” Albas said. O’Toole is 47; Trudeau is 48.

Gray, who won the Kelowna-Lake Country riding back for the Conservatives in the 2019 election, said O’Toole's leadership victory showed he had appeal across the country. By contrast, one-time front-runner Peter MacKay struggled to win the support of party members in the West.

“The leadership voting results showed that O’Toole has strong support across the country,” Gray said.

On the third ballot, O’Toole took 57 per cent of the votes, compared to 43 per cent for MacKay. “I’m very happy that he won a convincing victory,” Albas said.

Helena Konanz, who ran unsuccessfully for the Tories in the Penticton-based riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay in 2019, said she was “excited and inspired” by O'Toole's election as party leader.

“He supports this riding immensely and has visited Penticton twice in the past year,” Konanz said.