(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Conservative Fallout

Kamloops MP Caputo surprised by abrupt no-confidence vote for O’Toole

Feb 2, 2022 | 2:37 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo’s member of parliament (MP) didn’t foresee his party’s leader being ousted when parliament resumed on Monday (Jan. 31).

Conservative Frank Caputo called Wednesday (Feb. 2) a whirlwind, in which Erin O’Toole lost a vote to remain the official opposition party’s leader. Caputo thanked O’Toole for his service since August, 2020.

“Whenever the Reform Act is passed, you know that this can happen,” Caputo told CFJC Today. “But just because you know something can happen doesn’t mean you know it will. When I woke up on Monday morning, I wasn’t expecting what happened on Monday night. I was a bit surprised by that and the timing, but you have to be ready for these things at all times in our business.”

The Reform Act, which has been in place since 2015, allows a party’s MPs to trigger a leadership review instead of waiting for the question to be put to the wider membership.

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Due to the CPC caucus casting secret ballots Wednesday morning, Caputo says he can’t disclose how he or other Conservative MPs voted. O’Toole lost the vote of confidence 73-45.

Caputo says he’d heard from constituents from Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo on numerous issues, with O’Toole’s leadership being top of mind over the last week. The CPC won 119 seats in the 2021 federal election, a decrease of two from 2019.

Wednesday night, the CPC will appoint an interim leader. While Caputo says he won’t put his name forth, he’s heard of several MPs who have, although he’s only spoken with one of them.

Beyond the interim leadership, Caputo hopes the CPC’s new leader can unite and represent a diverse, big-tent party.

“Somebody who reflects the values in our constitution, who is prepared to communicate well, and reach out to groups that may have been hesitant to vote for Conservatives in the past,” Caputo says.

Caputo says it’s unknown when the CPC will reveal who was elected interim leader.