After a brief term as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, 73 Conservative MPs voted in favour of dismissing leader Erin O’Toole, leaving many to question why his tenure was so short.
On Wednesday, Conservatives voted by anonymous ballot to decide whether O’Toole was fit to continue as party leader. Out of 118 votes cast, only 45 voted for O’Toole to stay on.
“The fact that it happened so fast is surprising. The fact that it happened at all is not surprising,” said Andrew McDougall an assistant professor of political science at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus.
“He was always out of step with the social conservative elements of his party.”
Following his ouster, O’Toole tweeted video statement.
“It was an honour of a lifetime,” O’Toole said.
“My message to my party is the same I will give to the Prime Minister and members of parliament on all sides of the House of Commons. ‘Audi alteram partem’ (Hear the other side), listen to all voices, not just the echoes from your own tribe. Realize that our country is divided, and people are worried.”
O’Toole will stay on as MP for the Ontario riding of Durham.
Durham resident Joseph Sharma said O’Toole is viewed by many as a “valuable” community member.
“Honestly, I’m surprised the caucus went through with the vote. For myself, along with others in my neighbourhood, we value someone like O’Toole in Parliament because he tries his best to please everyone,” he said.
“I think the party as a whole is looking for the complete opposite, someone who is all the way right-wing.”