The Conservative MP for the 91原创-Aldergrove riding said he鈥檚 looking for a new unifying leader in the wake of the ouster Wednesday morning of former leader Erin O鈥橳oole.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking for someone who can unite the party,鈥� MP Tako van Popta said in the wake of the virtual caucus meeting and secret ballot on O鈥橳oole鈥檚 removal.
Earlier this week, about a third of Conservative MPs signed a document calling for the removal of O鈥橳oole, who has led the party for 18 months and was leader during last October鈥檚 federal election, which left the party in the same position in Official Opposition as they had been before.
鈥淲e had a long caucus meeting, a good airing of different points of view,鈥� van Popta said.
In the end, the vote was 73 to remove O鈥橳oole as leader, and 45 for him to stay, the MP said, meaning more than 60 per cent of members of the Conservative caucus voted for a change in leadership.
鈥淎 clear result is better than an unclear one,鈥� he noted.
READ MORE: Erin O鈥橳oole voted out as Conservative leader by MPs
The vote came after months of post-election grumbling about O鈥橳oole鈥檚 leadership from various members of his caucus, as well as various riding associations.
O鈥橳oole was widely seen as having tried to move his party closer to the political center during the last federal election.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say I鈥檓 happy about it,鈥� van Popta said of the leadership vote overall.
He noted it was a secret ballot, and would not say whether he voted for O鈥橳oole to leave or to stay. Van Popta did say he was not a part of the original group of MPs who signed the petition that triggered the leadership vote.
The Conservative caucus would be meeting again this evening, again virtually, to choose a new interim leader, van Popta said. He would not be putting his name forward, as he doesn鈥檛 speak French, he said.
As for a permanent leader, he said he wants clear, decisive leadership.
Van Popta noted that the Conservative party is a 鈥渂ig tent鈥� and contains multiple different political viewpoints.
鈥淲hoever is the leader needs to respect that,鈥� van Popta said.
The leadership vote took place amid a backdrop of a major protest by the Freedom Convoy of truckers and others, which has clogged downtown Ottawa streets for days, demanding an end to various COVID-related mandates, including the requirement that truckers crossing the border be vaccinated.
The protest has been criticized by Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while some Conservative politicians have expressed support for its aims, or for some of its participants.
Van Popta has shared social media posts backing the convoy in recent days, and was photographed with a group of the protesters in Ottawa.
READ ALSO: 91原创-Aldergrove MP Tako van Popta backs 鈥楩reedom Convoy鈥�
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