Opposition House Leader Andrew Scheer spoke to reporters in the House of Commons lobby on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, in Ottawa. REUTERS
As the spring session of Parliament approaches, the Conservative Party has selected Andrew Scheer to temporarily lead the party in the House of Commons. This decision comes after Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat in the Ontario riding of Carleton during the recent election. Poilievre had held this seat for over two decades.
Scheer Takes on Temporary Role
Scheer, a Member of Parliament (MP) from Saskatchewan and former Conservative Party leader, will fill the gap left by Poilievre’s absence. He will serve as the Opposition leader in Parliament starting May 26, when the sitting begins. Scheer emerged from a lengthy caucus meeting on Tuesday evening, expressing his readiness to take on the role until Poilievre returns to Parliament.
Poilievre is expected to run for a seat again in an upcoming byelection later this year. He aims to seek a seat in Alberta, where MP Damien Kurek has offered to step down and allow Poilievre to run for the position.
Poilievre Reflects on Election Results
Earlier that day, Poilievre spoke to the media ahead of the party’s first caucus meeting since the election. He acknowledged that while the Conservatives had a lot to be proud of in the results, there were lessons to be learned. Poilievre mentioned that while the party received 41% of the vote, it wasn’t enough to win, which was a surprising outcome.
“If you had told me that we would get 41% of the vote a couple of years ago, I would have said, 'Wow, that’s ambitious,'" he said. “But if you told me that we would get 41% of the vote and still not win, I would have said, 'You’re crazy.'"
Reform Act and Leadership Talks
During the all-day caucus meeting, the Conservative MPs also discussed adopting the Reform Act. This legislation allows the caucus to call for a secret-ballot vote to review the party leadership. This mechanism was previously used to oust former leader Erin O'Toole after the party’s loss in 2021.
Sources confirmed that the caucus passed the Reform Act by a significant margin. However, many Conservatives, including high-profile figures, have expressed strong support for Poilievre to remain leader despite the loss.
Support for Poilievre’s Leadership
Michael Barrett, a re-elected Conservative MP from Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands-Rideau Lakes, spoke about the party’s unity. He stated that the party stands firmly behind Poilievre. "Everyone is very supportive, we’re behind Pierre Poilievre," Barrett said.
Poilievre, reflecting on the election campaign, also acknowledged the need for his team to grow. In a video posted to social media, he promised to “learn and grow” from the campaign’s challenges. Despite some criticism surrounding the party's campaign manager, Jenni Byrne, Poilievre praised the hard work put in by his team.
“We have some lessons to learn from the campaign,” Barrett added, suggesting that Poilievre’s leadership remains strong despite the election setbacks.
