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Lewis confident Poilievre will include all caucus voices as he picks critics

Oct 4, 2022 | 2:25 PM

OTTAWA — Ontario Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis says she is confident Pierre Poilievre will ensure all of the party’s caucus voices are heard, amid calls for him to name her to a critic role.

Lewis ran against Poilievre in the Tories’ recent leadership contest and placed a distant third behind his resounding first ballot victory.

She hails from the party’s social conservative wing and during the race attacked Poilievre for not talking about issues like abortion, which is a procedure she and others in the caucus oppose.

Poilievre now faces calls from some anti-abortion organizations to name Lewis to a critic portfolio, as a sign of respect to the party’s social conservative base.

Conservative MPs have been expecting to hear who might be named to what role after Thanksgiving.

Lewis says she’s spoken to Poilievre since the race ended last month, and said that “he did a lot of listening and not much talking.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2022.

The Canadian Press