To witness the career of Conservative leader Erin O’Toole is to think of Kitty Muggeridge’s acerbic comment about TV broadcaster David Frost: “He rose without a trace.” In O’Toole’s case, if the polls are any indication, the end of his brief leadership career will come at the hands of voters — those who have heard of him don’t find much to like.
As I noted in a column on Monday, this is probably due to a combination of a discernable lack of conviction, the absence of any charisma, and a commitment to running a campaign consisting of stern, paternal rebukes to the Conservative base rather than presenting a muscular alternative to the current inhabitant of the prime minister’s cottage. Erin O’Toole ran as “True Blue.” Those of us still watching are wondering: “True Who?”
When O’Toole does make a pronouncement, it is to remind everyone that he is not a social conservative, in case anyone suspected that he was. Responding to Saskatchewan MP Cathay Wagantall’s Bill C-233, the “Sex-selective Abortion act,” O’Toole told a press conference: “As you know I’m pro-choice, and I will be voting against this private member’s bill. I will always as prime minister defend the rights — the human rights — of all Canadians to make this decision for themselves. I’ve been crystal clear on that and will be as prime minister.”
One thought on “Conservative leader Erin O’Toole to vote against bill banning sex-selective abortions”
Navi says:
As I’ve said before the CPC could bring Henry Morgentaler back from the dead, elect him their leader, and the Liberals would still scream about his hidden anti-choice agenda (after all, he did condemn late-term abortions). Then the media would blame the “so-cons” for his loss. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see where and how we would get a good alternative. Leslyn Lewis approached the issue the right way, and she’s the kind of leader pro-lifers should support, but unfortunately she wasn’t quite ready (importantly, she isn’t bilingual though hopefully she’ll have a good opportunity to fix that in her upcoming term as a Member of Parliament). Pierre Poilievre was supposed to be the heavyweight pro-life candidate, but he both renounced his pro-life stance and refused to stand for the leadership election.
As I’ve said before the CPC could bring Henry Morgentaler back from the dead, elect him their leader, and the Liberals would still scream about his hidden anti-choice agenda (after all, he did condemn late-term abortions). Then the media would blame the “so-cons” for his loss. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see where and how we would get a good alternative. Leslyn Lewis approached the issue the right way, and she’s the kind of leader pro-lifers should support, but unfortunately she wasn’t quite ready (importantly, she isn’t bilingual though hopefully she’ll have a good opportunity to fix that in her upcoming term as a Member of Parliament). Pierre Poilievre was supposed to be the heavyweight pro-life candidate, but he both renounced his pro-life stance and refused to stand for the leadership election.