St. Albert-Edmonton MP Michael Cooper said he is pleased Candice Bergen has been elected interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
“I think she's the perfect person to lead the party to serve as the leader of the official Opposition during this period of transition until we select a new permanent leader," said Cooper in an interview with The Gazette on Thursday, a day after Bergen was voted in.
Bergen, MP for Portage-Lisgar, Man., was voted in by virtual secret ballot Wednesday night, hours after Durham MP Erin O’Toole was voted out as official Opposition leader.
Cooper said Bergen brings significant experience as a cabinet minister under former prime minister Steven Harper. Bergen was minister of state (social development) from 2013 to 2015.
“She is well respected amongst caucus,” said Cooper.
Bergen was deputy leader of the official Opposition from September 2020 until Aug. 15, 2021, when the federal election was called for the fall.
She was the House leader of the official Opposition from 2016 until 2020, and has represented the Portage-Lisgar riding in Manitoba since 2008.
In a social media post, Bergen expressed her gratitude and respect for O’Toole.
“Erin is an asset and will continue to be a valued member of our team,” she wrote.
In an address to the public on social media on Thursday evening, Bergen said she is thrilled and honoured to be the new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
“My number one goal is to bring us all together, to bring us back to being a unified, strong, Conservative party. I know sometimes we have different views. And I think that's OK.
“I think Canadians have different views. We can disagree, but we can still get along; we can still be unified.
“I want to ask you for your support, not only in supporting our party, but support us and being kind to your neighbours. Support us in talking to each other and listening to different points of view, because that's the best way we can bring healing back to our country.
“I look forward to meeting many of you in the next days, weeks, and months ahead,” she said in the address.
O’Toole was ousted from his leadership role on Wednesday morning after a majority of the Conservative caucus voted against him by virtual secret ballot.
Cooper said the meeting to determine O’Toole’s fate was difficult, but respectful.
Out of the 119 Conservative MPs in Parliament, 73 MPs voted against O’Toole, while 45 voted to support him. Caucus chair Scott Reid did not vote.
Cooper said he and his colleagues are now focused on “regrouping, uniting, and focusing on our job as the official Opposition, and that's to hold Justin Trudeau to account.”
Cooper said the Conservative Party National Council will decide when the official leadership race will begin.
“I would hope that leadership race will be concluded as expeditiously as possible. We need a permanent leader in place as soon as possible,” he said.
