O’Toole looking forward to return to Parliament, readying for the next election

OTTAWA -- New Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says his party will be ready if there is a snap election on the horizon, but offered no indication that his caucus will be the one prompting it.

“If Mr. Trudeau thinks he can play some games with a new leader and force an election, we will be ready,” O’Toole said, framing the possibility of a pandemic election being a move the Liberals “may be trying to trigger,” rather than something the opposition would force.

O’Toole had a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday. Both sides considered it a cordial conversation, according to their offices, but soon enough the two will be squaring off across the aisle in the House of Commons, or out on the campaign trail depending on how soon the next federal election is called. While the next election isn’t scheduled until 2022, there have been calls for Trudeau to resign amid the WE Charity controversy and threats levelled by the opposition Bloc Quebecois and Conservatives of advancing a motion of non-confidence in the government.

As a sitting MP, O’Toole has vowed to hold the Liberals to account “on day one,” and says his focus will be on the well-being of Canadians given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, rather than an election.

The shutdown of Parliament for a month stopped a series of committee studies into the ongoing WE Charity student grant controversy, and O’Toole is imploring Trudeau to allow the committees studying the matter to get back to it in short order in the fall. “I’m here to fight for the well-being of Canadians across the country. And for better solutions, faster responses… and we will assess the government going forward on all those criteria,” O’Toole said. “I will always put the interests of Canadians first and will collaborate when I can.”

With Parliament prorogued until Sept. 23 O’Toole has some time to determine what approach his caucus will take when it comes to what’s shaping up to be at least two confidence votes in quick succession: on the Liberals’ throne speech setting pandemic recovery priorities, and on a new bill to implement billions of dollars in new COVID-19 aid benefits. If the Liberals lose a confidence vote—which would require the backing of

MPs from more than just the Bloc and Conservative caucuses—an early election could be called.