Simcoe North’s member of Parliament is keeping his thoughts on his party leader’s future to himself ahead of an important vote Wednesday.
Adam Chambers will be among the members of the Conservative caucus who will decide the fate of party Leader Erin O’Toole, whose future was called into question after enough MPs voted for a leadership review.
If the majority of the 119 Conservative MPs vote to strip O’Toole of his leadership, an interim leader will be put in place.
Chambers, Simcoe North’s rookie MP, said his vote “will depend a lot on how the meeting goes tomorrow.
“I’m looking forward to the discussion about the direction of the party,” he said. “Regardless of whether you’re having votes on leadership, party unity is (important).”
He described the Conservative caucus as a “big family.”
“Like any family, we have significant differences on a number of issues but, for the most part, get along,” he said. “You have to focus on the things that everyone agrees on.”
The Conservative party hasn’t had a leader elected prime minister since Stephen Harper, who was defeated in the 2015 election.
“It’s a different atmosphere when you’re in government and you’re not in government,” Chambers said. “When you lose a few elections, people are rightfully disappointed.”
A leadership review isn’t something Chambers expected would happen when he was running for office, and he said he will continue to focus on what’s best for Simcoe North and Canada while keeping the governing Liberals in check.
“For the good of the country, you need an effective Opposition to hold the government to account,” he said.
Chambers would not speculate on how the vote will go and what it might mean for the future of the party until after Wednesday’s “family meeting.”
