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Conservative Party of Canada Leader Erin O'Toole meets with a member of the trucker convoy on Jan. 28. (Photo from Erin O'Toole CPC /Facebook)

Group championing O’Toole’s strategy for Tories emerges as he faces leadership vote

Feb 1, 2022 | 12:17 PM

OTTAWA – In the wake of Erin O’Toole’s caucus forcing a vote on his leadership, a new group has cropped up championing his strategy as being what’s best for the Conservative Party of Canada.

Tory activist Fraser Macdonald, who supported O’Toole in the last leadership race, says he had the idea for the effort before news broke that one-third of O’Toole’s caucus wanted him gone.

The website for the group, called Majority Committee, launched today, hours after O’Toole took to social media just before midnight saying he intends to fight for his job.

In his post, O’Toole paints the MPs who signed the letter requesting the leadership vote as believing the party should hold more extreme views resembling those of Ontario MPP Randy Hillier and ex-MP Derek Sloan.

That’s in contrast with what O’Toole says he is trying to build with a more inclusive and moderate brand of conservatism.

But those MPs calling for O’Toole’s dismissal say the issue lies with the leader himself and his failings, which include flip-flops on carbon pricing and gun control, along with not delivering a clear message on matters like the truck convoy protest.

The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2022.

The Canadian Press