Conservative senator pushes for review of O'Toole's leadership
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Wow….Erin O’Toole is sounding more like Justin Trudeau every day with these “Sunny Dayz” ‘My way or the Highway’ announcements….sad.O’Toole warns more expulsions in store for any MP who challenges his leadership
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Stephanie Taylor
Publishing date:Nov 17, 2021 • 8 hours ago • 4 minute read • 90 Comments
Canadian Senator Denise Batters.
Canadian Senator Denise Batters. PHOTO BY CHRIS ROUSSAKIS /Postmedia Network / Files
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OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is warning his MPs that they risk the same fate as a senator expelled from the party caucus if they challenge his leadership.
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O’Toole laid down the law Wednesday as he headed into a two-day Tory caucus retreat, one day after showing Sen. Denise Batters the door.
“You don’t want to make that decision, but really, she made it for herself,” he told reporters as he arrived for the meeting, flanked by members of his leadership circle.
“People that are now allowing their frustrations and their own personal agendas or issues on the pandemic to interfere with our progress are not part of the team.”
He argued that the Conservative caucus needs to keep focused on defeating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and holding his Liberal minority government to account. He added that anyone “who’s not putting the team and the country first will not be part of this team.”
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Expelling Batters is the most serious consequence O’Toole has meted out for any member since his Sept. 20 election loss, which has triggered grumblings over his performance and internal struggles over the Conservatives’ stance on vaccine mandates.
The Saskatchewan senator and longtime party stalwart launched a petition Monday aimed at forcing a referendum on O’Toole’s leadership within the next six months, instead of waiting for a scheduled leadership confidence vote at the party’s national convention in 2023.
As of late Wednesday, her office said the petition had garnered around 3,700 signatures. The party, however, has dismissed Batters’ petition as an invalid way to trigger a leadership review — something she and her supporters reject.
In launching the petition, Batters, who was appointed to the Senate on the advice of former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper in 2013, argued that O’Toole lost the election because Canadians didn’t trust him. Having reversed his positions on a firearms ban, carbon taxes and conscience rights,she predicted he would be unable to win back voters’ trust in future.
Batters was unrepentant Wednesday.
“I am and will always be a Conservative,” she said in a statement.
“It is ironic that Erin O’Toole is expelling me from our national Conservative caucus for asking him to adhere to the principles and policies our Conservative party members have approved.”
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She also questioned why she’s being singled out when Sen. Michael MacDonald urged Tory MPs last month to give themselves the power to hold an early leadership review.
“If Mr. O’Toole is certain that the members of our party support the new direction in which he is taking our party, he should have nothing to fear by facing our members democratically in an expedited confidence vote,” said Batters.
In a previous interview with The Canadian Press after her petition was launched, Batters said other MPs and senators support her efforts.
However, O’Toole insisted Wednesday his caucus is “united on our way forward.” His team also believes it has the support of a majority of MPs to kick out any MP who publicly supports the effort by Batters oust O’Toole.
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O’Toole can unilaterally expel a senator from the caucus but removal of an elected member would require a majority vote by MPs.
The leader last week pointedly left out of his shadow cabinet a number of MPs who’ve objected to mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 or questioned the efficacy of vaccines.
Among those was Leslyn Lewis, a newly elected representative for Ontario, who was heavily backed during last year’s leadership race by the party’s western and social conservative base. O’Toole had courted that bloc of supporters during the contest, billing himself as the ‘true blue’ candidate to party faithful.
Lewis has previously voiced support for O’Toole following the election loss, but a spokesperson for her office declined Wednesday to offer comment on Batters’ petition.
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Many MPs who were chosen for critic roles were quick to publicly denounced the senator on Monday and echoed that sentiment as they headed into Wednesday’s caucus meeting.
Newly elected Ontario MP Michelle Ferreri said Batters should have kept her concerns behind the closed doors of caucus.
“I think Denise made her choices and I think we’ve got to focus on what Canadians need and get back to work,” said Scott Aitchison, MP for Parry Sound—Muskoka.
Winnipeg MP Marty Morantz said he supports O’Toole’s decision to remove Batters and the grassroots will get to have their say when the scheduled convention rolls around in two years.
“Mr. O’Toole’s only been leader for just over 14 months. The members just had their say and I don’t think it’s productive at all to be taking leaders out after 14 months of being leader without giving Canadians an opportunity to get to know them and trust them.”
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Denise Batters arrives to the House of Commons' standing committee on health in Ottawa on March 8, 2012.
O’Toole boots senator who challenged his leadership out of Conservative caucus
Conservative Sen. Denise Batters speaks during a pro-pipeline rally at IJACK Technologies Inc. near Moosomin, Sask., on Feb. 16, 2019.
KINSELLA: Irony of publicly infighting lost on Conservatives
Canadian Senator Denise Batters.
Conservative senator pushes for review of O’Toole’s leadership
While caucus appeared supportive of O’Toole’s decision to expel Batters, her petition remains active. It is being promoted by groups representing swaths of the Conservative grassroots dissatisfied with O’Toole’s leadership and his attempts to put a more moderate stamp on the party.
Elect Conservatives, which endorsed Lewis during the 2020 leadership race, issued a statement linking to the petition. The statement said it was “hypocritical” of O’Toole to give Batters the boot, given that the party professes to promote “free speech and open dialogue.”
Anti-abortion groups Campaign Life Coalition and RightNow have also endorsed the petition, after weeks of separately saying O’Toole didn’t live up to the pledges he made to social conservatives during the leadership race.
O’Toole warns more expulsions in store for any MP who challenges his leadership
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is warning his MPs that they risk the same fate as a senator expelled from the party caucus if they challenge his…torontosun.com
I don't have a dog in the fight, but sounds to me like he decided to go "tough guy." If he's like every other politician I ever heard of, it's a tactic.
Conservative senators defy O'Toole on expulsion of senator who challenged leadership
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Joan Bryden
Publishing date:Nov 18, 2021 • 8 hours ago • 2 minute read • 14 Comments
Senator Denise Batters is shown near the Senate chambers on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 18, 2016.
Senator Denise Batters is shown near the Senate chambers on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 18, 2016. PHOTO BY JUSTIN TANG /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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OTTAWA — Sen. Denise Batters may no longer be welcome in the Conservatives’ national caucus but she’s still a member of the party’s Senate caucus.
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Conservative senators have chosen to keep Batters in their fold, notwithstanding party leader Erin O’Toole’s decision Tuesday to kick her out of the national caucus after she challenged his leadership.
Karine Leroux, spokeswoman for Conservative Senate leader Don Plett, confirmed Thursday that “Sen. Batters is still a current member of the Senate Conservative Caucus.”
She declined to elaborate, saying that “would encroach on caucus confidentiality.”
The decision to keep Batters in their caucus suggests Conservative senators are defying O’Toole, who warned Wednesday that anyone supporting her attempt to force an early confidence vote on his leadership would be kicked out of national caucus for not being a team player.
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When former leader Andrew Scheer kicked Sen. Lynn Beyak out of the national caucus in 2018, the Conservative Senate caucus immediately followed suit.
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People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier prepares to speak at a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, in Toronto on May 15, 2021.
BONOKOSKI: O’Toole has more troubles than just Senator Denise Batters
Canadian Senator Denise Batters.
O’Toole warns more expulsions in store for any MP who challenges his leadership
Conservative Sen. Denise Batters speaks during a pro-pipeline rally at IJACK Technologies Inc. near Moosomin, Sask., on Feb. 16, 2019.
KINSELLA: Irony of publicly infighting lost on Conservatives
Beyak was turfed over her defence of residential schools and her refusal to take down posts on her senatorial website that were deemed racist towards Indigenous Peoples. She resigned from the Senate last January before senators could vote on a motion to remove her from the chamber entirely.
Plett himself tweeted his support Tuesday for O’Toole’s decision to give Batters the boot.
“As always, I continue to support Erin O’Toole’s strong and principled leadership to unite the Conservative Party of Canada,” he wrote.
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But the other 17 Conservative senators evidently had other thoughts on the matter. After meeting separately to discuss it, they’ve decided to keep Batters in the fold.
Batters could not immediately be reached for comment.
But she has said she had a lot of support from senators and MPs alike for her decision to launch a petition Monday aimed at forcing a referendum on O’Toole’s leadership within six months, rather than wait for a scheduled leadership review at the party’s national convention in 2023.
And she has questioned why O’Toole dumped her when he did nothing about fellow Conservative Sen. Michael MacDonald, who has also challenged O’Toole’s fitness to lead.
Before the first national caucus meeting after the Sept. 20 election, MacDonald wrote Conservative MPs urging them to give themselves the power to oust the leader.
“The status quo under the present circumstances is a mistake and a gift to the Liberals that this party and this country cannot afford,” he wrote.
Like Batters, MacDonald said O’Toole’s bid to present a more moderate, centrist party was a failure, resulting in a loss of seats in the election and none of the promised breakthroughs in Central Canada.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Joan Bryden
Publishing date:Nov 18, 2021 • 8 hours ago • 2 minute read • 14 Comments
Senator Denise Batters is shown near the Senate chambers on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 18, 2016.
Senator Denise Batters is shown near the Senate chambers on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 18, 2016. PHOTO BY JUSTIN TANG /THE CANADIAN PRESS
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OTTAWA — Sen. Denise Batters may no longer be welcome in the Conservatives’ national caucus but she’s still a member of the party’s Senate caucus.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Conservative senators have chosen to keep Batters in their fold, notwithstanding party leader Erin O’Toole’s decision Tuesday to kick her out of the national caucus after she challenged his leadership.
Karine Leroux, spokeswoman for Conservative Senate leader Don Plett, confirmed Thursday that “Sen. Batters is still a current member of the Senate Conservative Caucus.”
She declined to elaborate, saying that “would encroach on caucus confidentiality.”
The decision to keep Batters in their caucus suggests Conservative senators are defying O’Toole, who warned Wednesday that anyone supporting her attempt to force an early confidence vote on his leadership would be kicked out of national caucus for not being a team player.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
When former leader Andrew Scheer kicked Sen. Lynn Beyak out of the national caucus in 2018, the Conservative Senate caucus immediately followed suit.
People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier prepares to speak at a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, in Toronto on May 15, 2021.
BONOKOSKI: O’Toole has more troubles than just Senator Denise Batters
Canadian Senator Denise Batters.
O’Toole warns more expulsions in store for any MP who challenges his leadership
Conservative Sen. Denise Batters speaks during a pro-pipeline rally at IJACK Technologies Inc. near Moosomin, Sask., on Feb. 16, 2019.
KINSELLA: Irony of publicly infighting lost on Conservatives
Beyak was turfed over her defence of residential schools and her refusal to take down posts on her senatorial website that were deemed racist towards Indigenous Peoples. She resigned from the Senate last January before senators could vote on a motion to remove her from the chamber entirely.
Plett himself tweeted his support Tuesday for O’Toole’s decision to give Batters the boot.
“As always, I continue to support Erin O’Toole’s strong and principled leadership to unite the Conservative Party of Canada,” he wrote.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
But the other 17 Conservative senators evidently had other thoughts on the matter. After meeting separately to discuss it, they’ve decided to keep Batters in the fold.
Batters could not immediately be reached for comment.
But she has said she had a lot of support from senators and MPs alike for her decision to launch a petition Monday aimed at forcing a referendum on O’Toole’s leadership within six months, rather than wait for a scheduled leadership review at the party’s national convention in 2023.
And she has questioned why O’Toole dumped her when he did nothing about fellow Conservative Sen. Michael MacDonald, who has also challenged O’Toole’s fitness to lead.
Before the first national caucus meeting after the Sept. 20 election, MacDonald wrote Conservative MPs urging them to give themselves the power to oust the leader.
“The status quo under the present circumstances is a mistake and a gift to the Liberals that this party and this country cannot afford,” he wrote.
Like Batters, MacDonald said O’Toole’s bid to present a more moderate, centrist party was a failure, resulting in a loss of seats in the election and none of the promised breakthroughs in Central Canada.
Conservative senators defy O'Toole on expulsion of senator who challenged leadership
OTTAWA — Sen. Denise Batters may no longer be welcome in the Conservatives’ national caucus but she’s still a member of the party’s Senate caucus.
Either this guy or Lewis is who I would support
O'Toole faces new call for leadership review from Alberta riding association board
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jan 25, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole addresses supporters at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont. following the federal election, Sept. 21, 2021.
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole addresses supporters at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont. following the federal election, Sept. 21, 2021. PHOTO BY ERNEST DOROSZUK /Toronto Sun
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OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is facing another challenge to his leadership.
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A motion passed Saturday by the board of the Alberta Foothills riding association calls for O’Toole to face an early leadership review to ensure the party is united before “an imminent election.”
The call is coming days before a party review of last fall’s election loss will be presented to the Conservative caucus at a retreat.
O’Toole isn’t set to face a review by members until 2023, but some MPs and party members want one sooner following his performance as leader and attempts to move the party to the centre.
Conservative Sen. Denise Batters spearheaded a petition in the fall also calling for an early review but it was dismissed by party officials as invalid.
The Foothills request now sits with party leadership and the national council, both of whom have been contacted for comment.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jan 25, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole addresses supporters at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont. following the federal election, Sept. 21, 2021.
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole addresses supporters at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont. following the federal election, Sept. 21, 2021. PHOTO BY ERNEST DOROSZUK /Toronto Sun
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OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is facing another challenge to his leadership.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
A motion passed Saturday by the board of the Alberta Foothills riding association calls for O’Toole to face an early leadership review to ensure the party is united before “an imminent election.”
The call is coming days before a party review of last fall’s election loss will be presented to the Conservative caucus at a retreat.
O’Toole isn’t set to face a review by members until 2023, but some MPs and party members want one sooner following his performance as leader and attempts to move the party to the centre.
Conservative Sen. Denise Batters spearheaded a petition in the fall also calling for an early review but it was dismissed by party officials as invalid.
The Foothills request now sits with party leadership and the national council, both of whom have been contacted for comment.
O'Toole faces new call for leadership review from Alberta riding association board
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole is facing another challenge to his leadership.
Conservative MPs await results of election review — but don't expect to see it all
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Stephanie Taylor
Publishing date:Jan 26, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Conservative leader Erin O'Toole speaks following the federal election results at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont., Sept. 20, 2021.
Conservative leader Erin O'Toole speaks following the federal election results at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont., Sept. 20, 2021. PHOTO BY ERNEST DOROSZUK /Toronto Sun / Postmedia Network
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OTTAWA — Conservative MPs meeting for a two-day retreat say they don’t expect to be shown the entire review into the party’s election loss.
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Former Alberta MP James Cumming is set to present the findings from his review to caucus members and national council Thursday.
Party spokesman Cory Hann says caucus will be briefed on the contents of the review, including its key findings and recommendations, and will have a chance to ask questions of the author.
Part of the presentation will also focus on Leader Erin O’Toole’s performance during the campaign — something those concerned about his leadership are eager to see.
The party wouldn’t specify if caucus will be shown the review in its entirety, with a spokesman saying only that O’Toole committed to elected members receiving a briefing, unlike campaign reviews of the past which have been held by the party leader and senior staff.
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Heading into Wednesday’s meeting, Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu said as someone who appreciates details, she’d like to see the complete review but is expecting a summary.
“I want to hear what (Cumming) thinks went wrong in the campaign in terms of policy, in terms of how we conducted ourselves — and then what are the plans going forward so we can win the next time,” she said.
Alberta MP Glen Motz said he’s confident in his former colleague’s ability to handle the review and said he was “sure we’ll see the information that we require.”
The results of the campaign review come at a time when O’Toole is dealing with calls to undergo a leadership review by mid-June rather than have members wait until 2023 when it’s scheduled to happen as part of the party’s national convention.
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Three riding associations have requested an earlier vote, including the Alberta riding of Foothills and Saskatchewan riding of Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek.
This week, a poll released by Leger showed 58 per cent of Conservative voters thought O’Toole would make the best prime minister, with the firm’s executive vice-president Christian Bourque saying it’s clear he has members to win back.
The survey also suggested Canadians still aren’t ready to put their confidence in O’Toole as he placed third behind NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the best choice for prime minister.
A controversial secularism law in Quebec is among the issues slated to be raised during Wednesday’s meeting. The Tory position on the law known as Bill 21 is one of the pressures facing O’Toole as he looks to chart a path forward as leader.
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Some of his MPs feel the party needs to adopt a tougher stance against the law that prohibits some public servants in Quebec from wearing religious symbols at work. O’Toole has said the issue is best left up to that province to decide and that his MPs should speak as a team.
When it comes to caucus members expressing their own opinions, many on his team have done so in support of a truck convoy rolling toward Ottawa to protest the Liberal government’s vaccine mandate for truckers.
That includes deputy leader Candice Bergen who said Wednesday she supports truckers’ right to peacefully protest. These Conservatives are lending support to the convoy even as concerns are being raised about individuals pushing more extreme ideas tagging along with the group.
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O’Toole himself refused to say whether he supported the convoy when first asked about it Monday, but during a Facebook Live Tuesday to supporters said he understands why truckers are frustrated and that Canadians have a right to peacefully protest.
Ontario MP Scott Aitchison said Wednesday he believes the convoy’s organizer is reasonable and appears to be trying to put on a respectful demonstration.
“There’s a few crazies that are trying latch onto it and I hope that it doesn’t ruin it for them.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Stephanie Taylor
Publishing date:Jan 26, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
Conservative leader Erin O'Toole speaks following the federal election results at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont., Sept. 20, 2021.
Conservative leader Erin O'Toole speaks following the federal election results at the Tribute Communities Centre Arena in Oshawa, Ont., Sept. 20, 2021. PHOTO BY ERNEST DOROSZUK /Toronto Sun / Postmedia Network
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OTTAWA — Conservative MPs meeting for a two-day retreat say they don’t expect to be shown the entire review into the party’s election loss.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
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Former Alberta MP James Cumming is set to present the findings from his review to caucus members and national council Thursday.
Party spokesman Cory Hann says caucus will be briefed on the contents of the review, including its key findings and recommendations, and will have a chance to ask questions of the author.
Part of the presentation will also focus on Leader Erin O’Toole’s performance during the campaign — something those concerned about his leadership are eager to see.
The party wouldn’t specify if caucus will be shown the review in its entirety, with a spokesman saying only that O’Toole committed to elected members receiving a briefing, unlike campaign reviews of the past which have been held by the party leader and senior staff.
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Heading into Wednesday’s meeting, Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu said as someone who appreciates details, she’d like to see the complete review but is expecting a summary.
“I want to hear what (Cumming) thinks went wrong in the campaign in terms of policy, in terms of how we conducted ourselves — and then what are the plans going forward so we can win the next time,” she said.
Alberta MP Glen Motz said he’s confident in his former colleague’s ability to handle the review and said he was “sure we’ll see the information that we require.”
The results of the campaign review come at a time when O’Toole is dealing with calls to undergo a leadership review by mid-June rather than have members wait until 2023 when it’s scheduled to happen as part of the party’s national convention.
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Three riding associations have requested an earlier vote, including the Alberta riding of Foothills and Saskatchewan riding of Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek.
This week, a poll released by Leger showed 58 per cent of Conservative voters thought O’Toole would make the best prime minister, with the firm’s executive vice-president Christian Bourque saying it’s clear he has members to win back.
The survey also suggested Canadians still aren’t ready to put their confidence in O’Toole as he placed third behind NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the best choice for prime minister.
A controversial secularism law in Quebec is among the issues slated to be raised during Wednesday’s meeting. The Tory position on the law known as Bill 21 is one of the pressures facing O’Toole as he looks to chart a path forward as leader.
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Some of his MPs feel the party needs to adopt a tougher stance against the law that prohibits some public servants in Quebec from wearing religious symbols at work. O’Toole has said the issue is best left up to that province to decide and that his MPs should speak as a team.
When it comes to caucus members expressing their own opinions, many on his team have done so in support of a truck convoy rolling toward Ottawa to protest the Liberal government’s vaccine mandate for truckers.
That includes deputy leader Candice Bergen who said Wednesday she supports truckers’ right to peacefully protest. These Conservatives are lending support to the convoy even as concerns are being raised about individuals pushing more extreme ideas tagging along with the group.
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O’Toole himself refused to say whether he supported the convoy when first asked about it Monday, but during a Facebook Live Tuesday to supporters said he understands why truckers are frustrated and that Canadians have a right to peacefully protest.
Ontario MP Scott Aitchison said Wednesday he believes the convoy’s organizer is reasonable and appears to be trying to put on a respectful demonstration.
“There’s a few crazies that are trying latch onto it and I hope that it doesn’t ruin it for them.”
Conservative MPs await results of election review — but don't expect to see it all
OTTAWA — Conservative MPs meeting for a two-day retreat say they don’t expect to be shown the entire review into the party’s election loss.