Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole not seeking re-election, leaving this spring
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says that after more than a decade in politics, he will not seek re-election and plans to resign his seat this spring.
The Ontario MP led the Conservatives and served as official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022, when a majority of his caucus voted to remove him from the post.
"I am a proud Conservative and had the unique privilege to lead our party amid a challenging time for our country," he said in a statement shared on social media Friday morning.
"The Conservative party is the party of Confederation and I know it will return to government offering the hope and ideas our country so desperately needs."
He added: "I will help in any way I can."
His ousting followed months of tensions over O'Toole's management of caucus and attempts to moderate the party's image after two consecutive election losses. Those efforts led to concerns that he flip-flopped on key policy positions, including on carbon pricing and gun control, angering the party's base. He also struggled to satisfy many with his position on vaccine mandates.
The ultimate shove came while the protesters of the "Freedom Convoy" descended on downtown Ottawa, honking their vehicles and decrying COVID-19 health restrictions -- many of them using expletive-laden flags critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that O'Toole said in a late 2022 blog post he hoped to see fewer of going forward.
In that same post, he warned of growing polarization in Canadian politics and suggested that symbols like the anti-Trudeau flags were "slowly normalizing rage and damaging our democracy."
He wrote at the time that Trudeau was "my political opponent, not my enemy."
Besides taking up more writing, the MP has kept a low profile on Parliament Hill since his time as leader.
In interviews he has given since, O'Toole has reflected on the difficulties of leading the party during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the face of suspected Chinese election meddling, which the party alleges targeted several Conservative-held ridings as O'Toole struck a hawkish stand against the regime.
Pierre Poilievre replaced O'Toole as the Conservatives' permanent leader last September, and is overseeing a much more unified caucus and party.
Following O'Toole's announcement, Poilievre issued a statement thanking the MP for his years of service, including his time spent in the military before entering politics.
"During his time as leader of the Opposition, Erin held the Trudeau government to account, fighting against their reckless spending and divisive politics. The House of Commons will be a lesser place without his experience and statesmanship."
"And above all else," Poilievre continued, "I know Erin to be a man who puts his family at the centre of all that he does."
The military veteran-turned-lawyer was first elected in a 2012 byelection. He served as parliamentary secretary to the minister for international trade, then veterans affairs minister during the final year of Stephen Harper's Conservative government before it lost power in 2015.
O'Toole took a first crack at running for the party leadership in the crowded 2017 race to replace Harper. He finished third.
He successfully ran for a second time in 2020, beating out his chief opponent, former cabinet minister Peter MacKay.
"I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to advance issues that I believe are critically important -- from veterans' mental health, to military preparedness, nuclear energy, Arctic sovereignty and a range of other important issues," O'Toole said in Friday's statement.
"I will continue to advance these interests and serve my constituents until the end of this session."
Fellow Conservative MPs Scott Aitchison and Michelle Rempel Garner sent O'Toole, his wife and their two kids well wishes on social media Friday, as did party president Rob Batherson.
O'Toole's statement said he first broke the decision to his Durham constituency during a speech to a local trade board.
The upcoming seat vacancy is one of several that will need to be filled in byelections, unless a general election is called in the near future. Last month, Candice Bergen, a longtime Manitoba MP who took over as interim leader after O'Toole, also announced she was leaving.
Former CPC leader says he’s not running again, will resign his seat at the end of the spring sitting. “I am a proud Conservative” he says in statement announcing his decision. This means another GTA byelection. https://t.co/GHT830WbKX
— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) March 31, 2023
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2023.
IN DEPTH
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Local Spotlight
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
Grain-gobbling bears spark 'no stopping' zone in Banff National Park
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
Deer family appears to accept B.C. man as one of their own
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
Doorbell video shows family of black bears scared off by dog in Sudbury, Ont.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.