(Image credit: Global BC)

By Michael Reeve

CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP

‘Under his leadership we will make Canada more prosperous;’ Kamloops MP Caputo rallies behind new leader

Sep 12, 2022 | 3:54 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Conservative Party of Canada elected its newest leader on Saturday (Sept. 10) night as MP Pierre Poilievre swept to a massive victory on the first ballot. The Ottawa area MP won nearly all 338 ridings across the nation with almost 70 per cent of the vote.

“Under his leadership we will make Canada more prosperous, housing more accessible, and have everybody living their best lives economically at the very least,” said Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo.

Caputo did not endorse Poilievre for leadership, but as the new leader begins his role as leader of the official opposition, Caputo is ready to rally behind him.

“What needs to happen is actually starting to happen, it’s arguably already happened. And that is the recognition that we are one party, we are one team. We had a vote on our captain, so to speak, and 68 per cent came out and said Pierre Poilievre is the person who we want to lead,” said Caputo.

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After being elected leader of the Tory party, Poilievre met with his caucus, speaking to the importance of working on inflation and the cost of living in Canada.

“We have a generation here, 18 to 35, who are writing to me, writing to all their elected officials saying, ‘I can’t afford a home. I can’t afford rent. I have a job but I can’t afford the gasoline to put in my car,'” added Caputo.

Political science professor Rob Hanlon at Thompson Rivers University believes the party led by Poilievre will be better at uniting the Conservatives then his predecessors.

“I think it’s added a lot of energy to the party — it’s something they have been looking for. I suspect the Liberals are quite concerned about the vibrancy that appears to be coming to the group with Poilievre. I think we are going to see a interesting Conservative party, one that is more dynamic,” said Hanlon.

Hanlon believes Poilievre will be able to pull votes in from the People’s Party but also from disenfranchised Liberal voters.

“I think that is probably the Conservative hope and plan to get those centre-left votes, the traditional Liberal votes that may be unhappy with Trudeau and the policies that they have been leading. That are concerned about debt, concerned about the economy,” stated Hanlon.

Poilievre will begin his role as leader of the opposition on September 20 as the House of Commons returns.

“Sometimes we get so focused on what divides us that we forget what unites us. Small government, prudent spending, fiscal policy that allow people to personally prosper,” said Caputo.