As news broke today that Andrew Scheer was resigning as leader of the Conservative Party, Barrie-area MPs, both past and present, offered up their thoughts.
Scheer stood in the House of Commons Thursday afternoon and announced he was stepping down as leader, but said he will stay on until a new one is found.
“I just informed my colleagues in the Conservative caucus that I will resign as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and I will be asking the Conservative Party National Council to organize the process of a leadership election,” the leader of the Official Opposition told the House.
The 40-year-old Scheer, who won the Conservative leadership in 2017, said he was making the decision to put his family first and believed the party needed someone who could put in 100 per cent.
The Conservatives placed second behind Justin Trudeau's Liberals in the recent federal election, as the Liberals won a minority government.
Barrie-Innisfil MP and Deputy Whip John Brassard issued a statement thanking Scheer for his service.
“We accomplished a great deal with his leadership. Conservatives are united and strong,” Brassard said in the statement. “We demoted the Liberals to a minority, won the popular vote and increased our seats in the House of Commons."
Brassard said the search will now begin for a new leader, "who will lead Conservatives into the next election and who will become the next prime minister, leading a strong and stable Conservative government.”
No new date for a leadership convention has been set.
Scheer said he will remain the MP for Regina-Qu’Appelle, Sask., but questions have been raised if he will even be able to stay on as interim leader.
There were also allegations today following a Global News report that Scheer had been using Conservative Party money to pay for the private schooling of his children.
Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MP Doug Shipley questioned the validity of the allegations.
“I’ve heard those rumours around here today as well, but I don’t know anything about that,” Shipley told BarrieToday. “It is way too early to get a grasp on things. And while everyone is talking about this, we are still working today.
"We are wishing Mr. Scheer well, but there is work to be done and we must keep moving and working for the people," he said, adding there was “a buzz in the air to find a new leader.”
Former Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MP Alex Nuttall told BarrieToday that he had heard rumours surrounding the private school tuition over the last 24 hours, but said this was not the time to discuss allegations.
“Today is not the day to be judge and jury, but rather to thank Andrew Scheer for giving his time to the people of Canada,” Nuttall said.
The Conservative Party's national council will now need to initiate a leadership race, a race that Nuttall believes will be a crucial one for the party.
“Having a new leader for the party is something I have mentioned before,” said Nuttall, who did not seek re-election in the recent federal election.
“I believe this is a great chance to find a person who represents a modern Canada and to move away from the way the party is perceived right now, which is older and not as modern as the people would like," he added.
