As anti-mandate trucker demonstrations persist, members of the Canadian Conservative Party (CPC) chose to oust centrist Erin O’Toole as head of the party and elect fiery Candice Bergen as interim president.
No One Saw This Coming
On Wednesday, 73 of the 118 MPs of the Tory Party of Canada conference in the Canadian House of Representatives voted to depose Erin O’Toole, the party’s moderate leadership.
This is following an 18-month reign as president and an unsuccessful attempt to unseat liberal politician Justin Trudeau in the general election last year.
According to the CBC, O’Toole remarked that he respected the results of the voting, which is unusual for a Canadian leader of a party. Now, the next head of the party must “acknowledge our nation is split and people are concerned.”
“I commit my full support and devotion to our next head,” he said, “and I urge everybody in our organization to do the same.”
What are you waiting for @PremierScottMoe @jkenney @fordnation @erinotoole this is your moment if you want it https://t.co/8d23JJD48t pic.twitter.com/68Rzq7Sh0r
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) January 31, 2022
Over the previous 18 months, O’Toole lost a lot of credibility from his own base, as a result of his positions on several topics. These topics include supporting the Trudeau government’s “automatic rifles” prohibition, which prohibits certain semi-automatic firearms.
Some have criticized the ban, pointing out that illegally purchased and held pistols, not so-called “assault weapons,” are used in the bulk of gun crimes in cities like Toronto.
O’Toole also supports Wuhan coronavirus certificates, stating in September of last year that the legislature should establish a nationwide mechanism to verify residents have been immunized against the virus.
The Freedom Convoy trucks arrived in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, over the last few days, bringing the uprising against O’Toole’s management ahead.
O’Toole Not the Right Man to Keep Conservatives Happy
Originally, O’Toole was wary of the caravan.
These truckers aim to eliminate vaccine regulations for truckers doing cross-border commerce between the US and Canada, as well as Wuhan coronavirus prohibitions across the nation.
Last Monday, he decided to meet with a few of the demonstrators.
On Wednesday night, the CPC opted for Candice Bergen, the party’s previous Deputy Leader, to serve as acting president until supporters vote on a new official leader.
My friends, I have seen the news today. I'm both relieved (for my Twitter mentions) and sad that our incredible and unusual relationship may be coming to an end. š„ Thank you for making the last 17 months truly awesome! šŗšøā„ļøšØš¦ https://t.co/gOOpb4489t
— Erin O'Toole š§āāļø (@ErinOtoole1) February 2, 2022
Bergen has become one of the most outspoken advocates of the Freedom Convoy protesters, rebutting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s claim that the demonstration was full of a bigoted “small fringe.”
“The opinions of Canadians are not represented by the tiny fringe minority of the population who are on their approach to Ottawa and who are harboring terrible beliefs that they are voicing,” Trudeau said.
Nevertheless, in the House of Representatives on Monday, Bergen backed the demonstrators.
“Contradictory to some, there are hundreds of impassioned, proud, and nonviolent Canadians on the Hill right thisĀ moment, who just want to be represented.”
