LAKELAND - Lakeland Conservative MP Shannon Stubbs released a statement on Feb. 3, regarding last week's caucus leadership vote that saw Erin O'Toole ousted as leader of the official opposition.
Lakeland This Week reached out to Stubbs' Two Hills constituency office for comment following the announcement that O'Toole had been voted out as leader of the party. Stubbs later released a statement to the media.
In the statement, Stubbs said she was "delighted to congratulate the Hon. Candice Bergen on her election as interim leader of the federal Conservative caucus." Stubbs described Bergen as a "steady champion who will unite our caucus and ensure we fulfill our obligations as the principled and assertive official opposition..."
She also added, "The need for a strong, united, principled and genuine Conservative party in Canada has never been more important for Lakeland and for all of Canada. I believe the livelihoods of the people I represent, and the long-term unity of our country depends on it. I know confidence in our party has been shaken among our members, volunteers, and core votes - and I know it was because of words, actions, and positions taken during the past year and a half."
Stubbs said she believes "Conservatives must come together for our common values, which I believe are the common values of Canadians, like: freedom, equality, limited government, personal and fiscal responsibility, democracy, justice, personal and national sovereignty and decentralization."
Stubbs noted that as MP, she wants to know that she can represent the "values and priorities" of her constituents both internally and externally, "that I can always have my say even if I don't always get my way for them, in a respectful way that honours our team but that never makes me choose between Lakeland and my leader, or that results in reprisals and pressure. I will always choose Lakeland."
When speaking to the vote, Stubbs said that MPs must often balance many competing interests, and "when MPs take an extraordinary action, as happened yesterday (Wednesday), people can trust it has been done for grave reasons."
Over the weekend, Ontario MP Pierre Poilievre was the first to throw his name in the ring as the next leader of the federal Conservative party. In the spring of 2021, Stubbs hosted a telephone townhall alongside Poilievre, allowing constituents in the Lakeland a chance to hear from the Ontario MP and ask questions.
"I know there will be many competent and credible candidates for leadership," said Stubbs in her statement.
