Canadian Conservatives Went Soft & Lost the Election

When Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election for this past Monday, the Conservative opposition had the chance to present a real contrast to his “woke” Liberal government. Instead, Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole ran a muddled campaign that resulted in the Conservatives doing worse than in their 2019 showing. The Liberals will form a minority government, with 158 seats in Parliament, while Conservatives will have 119 and other parties will have 61.

O’Toole won a party vote to become leader last year, promising to run as a “true-blue conservative.” But during his campaign, he disavowed his party’s past positions on many issues. He unveiled a 160-page, glossy platform called “We Have a Plan.” The only problem for party stalwarts was that it included support for a carbon tax, a pledge to uphold Trudeau’s ban on 1,500 types of guns, and promises to spend more than Liberals in many areas.

About the Author

John Fund

John Fund is National Review’s national-affairs reporter.

Featured Tags

When Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau called a snap election for this past Monday, the Conservative opposition had the chance to present a real contrast to his “woke” Liberal government. Instead, Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole ran a muddled campaign that resulted in the Conservatives doing worse than in their 2019 showing. The Liberals will form a minority government, with 158 seats in Parliament, while Conservatives will have 119 and other parties will have 61.

O’Toole won a party vote to become leader last year, promising to run as a “true-blue conservative.” But during his campaign, he disavowed his party’s past positions on many issues. He unveiled a 160-page, glossy platform called “We Have a Plan.” The only problem for party stalwarts was that it included support for a carbon tax, a pledge to uphold Trudeau’s ban on 1,500 types of guns, and promises to spend more than Liberals in many areas.