Conservative MP Andrew Scheer is expected to serve as Interim Leader of the Official Opposition until Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can be re-elected to Parliament.
True North has learned that Scheer was expected to be selected as the interim leader during Tuesday’s caucus meeting from sources familiar with the matter.
Poilievre intends to run in the Battle River–Crowfoot by-election after Conservative Damien Kurek announced he would step down. Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to call the by-election as soon as possible.
“If you look at the new people that Pierre Poilievre has attracted into the conservative movement, some people who not only say they’ve never voted conservative before, but never voted, and so we’re incredibly encouraged by that,” Scheer told reporters before Tuesday’s caucus meeting.
Poilievre recently pledged to “learn and grow” from his election loss last week in a video released Monday.
“We have a path back into parliament to allow me to hold the government to account, continue to lead on the same files so that we can pursue our mission, which is to give people back control their lives, to have a chance to work hard, earn a great life, live in an affordable home on a safe street, make this a country where hard work is actually rewarded again,” said Poilievre before the caucus meeting.
He lost his Carleton seat to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy, who won with 50.8 per cent of the vote. Poilievre received 45.83 per cent. He had held the Carleton riding as a Member of Parliament since he was first elected in 2004.