Stay or go? When it comes to how Northern B.C.'s two Conservative MPs voted Wednesday on whether to oust Erin O'Toole as the party's leader, we just don't know.
While both Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty and Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer issued statements expressing gratitude for O'Toole's time, neither clearly stated whether they voted for or against keeping him on as the top Tory.
"The vote was done by secret ballot, so it will remain that way," a spokesperson from Doherty's office said in an email.
The party did say MPs voted 73-45 to remove O'Toole.
“Caucus has spoken, and I respect their decision," Doherty said in his statement.
“I wish Erin well and thank him for his service to our party and to our country. He and his family have made countless personal sacrifices over the last 18 months and for that, I am grateful and appreciative
“I look forward to re-connecting with our grassroots members and my colleagues across the country to determine our best path forward in the days and weeks to come," Doherty continued.
“Whenever the next election is called, Canadians can rest assured that Conservatives will be ready to take Justin Trudeau on and win.”
Zimmer, in turn, thanked O'Toole and his family for the years of public service they have given and added he is grateful for O'Toole's decision to appoint him to the Conservative shadow cabinet. Zimmer is Northern Affairs and Arctic Sovereignty critic.
“Now it is time for us to move forward, united. Later this evening our caucus will be choosing an interim leader who will serve until a new leader is elected by our Conservative Party membership.
“I will continue to remain focused on ensuring that the voices of our hard-working Northeastern B.C. residents are heard here in Ottawa and defeating the Liberals in the next election.”
O'Toole was removed under a system unique to the Conservatives. Introduced by Tory MP Michael Chong, the Reform Act was passed by parliament in 2015 but applies only to parties that adopt it.
Under the legislation, a leadership review can be triggered if at least 20 per cent of caucus members submit a written notice to the caucus chair.
The caucus chair must make public the names of those caucus members requesting the vote. But any ensuing leadership review will be conducted by secret ballot, with the result determined by a majority vote of caucus members.
Given O'Toole's failure to lead the Conservatives to victory in the last election, the outcome was expected in the opinion of Jason Morris, a lecturer in political science at the University of Northern British Columbia,
"The focus is very much on the party leader," Morris said. "They have to be the public face that stand for voters' interests and also they've got to have the support of their elected members.
"They're the apex of accountability for elections and like an NHL coach, they take full responsibility for what happens, so I'm not surprised we're having a leadership change."
Stressing he's not privy to the inner workings of the party, Chris Beach, a political science and history instructor at College of New Caledonia, speculated that O'Toole's management style following the election may have had something to do with his downfall.
"It seems like he was rubbing people the wrong way and a rift just got bigger and bigger since the election. It seems like that's what happened," Beach said.
Interim leaders included, Beach noted that the Conservatives have now gone through five leaders in the last five years.
"It'll be six leaders by the time they choose somebody," he said. "Are they going to pay a price in that sense? Looking disorganized, not a steady ship."
Beach suggested a leader with some charisma might help the Tories fortunes.
"If they get somebody who looks like they can win, will specific issues become less important than under O'Toole or Scheer, who weren't exactly Pierre Trudeaus or Obamas," he said.
- with files from The Canadian Press
