Leadership race or no, Tories will hold Liberal government to account: Scheer
Posted January 24, 2020 6:43 am.
Last Updated January 24, 2020 9:24 am.
OTTAWA — Outgoing Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said despite the fact his party is now in a leadership race, he promised to keep up the pressure on the Liberal government.
Speaking to his caucus ahead of the spring sitting, Scheer said his team will stay focused on holding the government to account.
“The Trudeau Liberals might think that our leadership race will give them a free ride — they’re wrong,” Scheer said.
Outgoing Conservative Leader @AndrewScheer gives a speech to caucus ahead of the Spring sitting of Parliament. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/AfQkYHV8qn
— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) January 24, 2020
Scheer made the remarks to Tory MPs and senators on Friday as they met to plot strategy for Parliament’s return on Monday.
The caucus retreat comes at a time when many Tories are plotting their own strategies for how best to replace Scheer.
“Minority parliaments can end abruptly and unexpectedly, so we can’t afford to waste a day,” Scheer said, adding MPs need to stay focused.
At least three sitting Conservative MPs are launching leadership campaigns and another former MP, Peter MacKay, is snapping up support from many others.
But Scheer is expected to remain leader of the party until members choose a new boss on Jun. 27, and he must now set a course on the Opposition’s priorities in the minority Parliament.
He highlighted three areas sure to face Opposition scrutiny: the upcoming federal budget, a looming to decision on whether to approve a new oilsands mine and promised Liberal legislation banning military-style assault rifles.
Scheer claims Trudeau has been pushed around on the world stage, and says the Liberal gun control strategy is lazy governing. Says government is targeting law abiding gun owners instead of going after the criminals #cdnpoli
— Cormac Mac Sweeney (@cmaconthehill) January 24, 2020
“We’ve got to make the case every single day for why our country needs a Conservative government,” he said.
The Conservative caucus meeting follows a week of major developments in the leadership race: former Quebec premier Jean Charest, former interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose and current MP Pierre Poilievre — all potential front-runners — decided they won’t launch bids.
MacKay will formally unveil his campaign on Saturday, while current MP Erin O’Toole is also expected to launch his in the coming days.
