The continuity candidate
Name: Andrew Scheer Age: 37 Current job: MP for Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask.
Andrew Scheer likely represents the clearest continuation of Stephen Harper’s legacy in this race: a western MP preaching the virtues of balanced budgets, free trade, vowing to undo Liberal climate change plans and keeping the Conservative family united.
Like Harper, Scheer was born in Ontario before moving west, studying history and politics at the University of Ottawa and the University of Regina.
The 37-year-old was first elected to the House of Commons in 2004, representing a mostly rural riding in Saskatchewan.
Unlike most of the other long-time MPs in this race, however, Scheer never served in Harper’s cabinet. Instead, he spent the Conservatives’ last mandate as the neutral Speaker of the House of Commons, playing the role of referee during the daily debates.
So while he can’t claim responsibility for many Harper-era policies and projects, he also doesn’t have to wear any of their more unpopular decisions.
Scheer’s policy planks, however, could have easily been cribbed from previous Conservative platforms.
His environmental plan includes making it illegal to dump raw sewage in public waterways, but he would scrap the Liberals’ carbon tax and return to the Harper government’s “sector-by-sector” approach to environmental regulations.
Scheer promises to balance the budget within two years of taking power through government-wide spending cuts, similar to the move the Conservatives made in 2011to rein in their own deficits. He’s also promising to seek out new free-trade deals with friendly nations — something the Harper Conservatives did, and the Trudeau Liberals continue to do.
The father of five children has also pledged to make maternity and paternity EI benefits tax-free, and increase flexibility for new parents who want to work part time during their leave.
The continuity pitch seems to be working with the Conservative grassroots. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the Scheer campaign reported roughly $300,000 in donations. Scheer has the endorsement of 23 current Conservative MPs and a number of senators and former politicians.
To top it off, Chuck Strahl, one of the few elder statesmen in the young party, is chairing Scheer’s campaign.
Chance of winning:
Scheer is in the top tier of candidates in terms of fundraising and, seemingly, national support. He’s a frontrunner.