Andrew Scheer is stepping down as a Conservative leader.
He told his caucus this morning he will step down when a new leader is chosen. "I will be asking the Conservative Party National Council to immediately begin the process of organizing the leadership election."
The decision comes less than two months after a disappointing election result and after weeks of Conservative infighting about whether he should have a future as the head of the party.
Scheer was elected as the party leader in May 2017, beating out Maxime Bernier. "Serving as leader of the party that I love so much has been the opportunity and challenge of a lifetime. This is not a decision that I came to lightly. This is a decision I came to after many long, hard conversations with friends and family over the past two months since the election campaign."
The Conservatives held the Liberals to a minority government in October but many in the party had hoped for a better result.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared some fond words in the House of Commons after Scheer made his announcement. "I know the member opposite has shown tremendous strength and compassion through tragedies, difficulties, victories and more challenging moments. I very much wish him all the very, very best in his next and exciting steps whether they be in the House or beyond."
Premier Doug Ford issued a statement following Scheer's announcement. "I wish Andrew Scheer all the best as he undertakes this new chapter in his life, and thank him for his service as the head of her Majesty's Loyal Opposition and leader of the Conservative Party. I also want to take this opportunity to give my best wishes to Mr. Scheer's wife Jill and their five children."
Now the question becomes who will become the new leader. NEWSTALK 1010 host Evan Solomon was just asking a few Conservatives last night. "I said...let me give you some answers I've heard. Who does Stephen Harper support? I heard 'not Andrew Scheer. It doesn't matter anymore. The party is different.' Would Jason Kenney come in? 'No. It's too early, he is just a brand new premier.' Is Doug Ford possible? 'It's too early. He's already a premier.' Ford and Kenney become the two most influential Conservatives in the country immediately."
Solomon describes the leadership as a free-for-all. "If you are a Conservative you have to watch for two dangers. One, can this party hold together the coalition that Stephen Harper put together? Or does it split beyond West and East...red Tory/blue Tory? Social Conservatives? Does this tear the party apart of is there a uniting figure? I can tell you that no Conservative I have spoken to has said there is a uniting figure."
Statement from Dustin van Vugt, the Executive Director of the Conservative Party of Canada:
As Mr. Scheer said in his statement today, he made the decision to resign after weeks of long and hard conversations with friends and family. Mr. Scheer began to inform members of his staff earlier this week about his decision to resign.
As is the normal practice for political parties, the Party offered to reimburse some of the costs associated with being a national leader and re-locating the family to Ottawa.
Shortly after Mr. Scheer was elected leader, we had a meeting where I made a standard offer to cover costs associated with moving his family from Regina to Ottawa. This includes a differential in schooling costs between Regina and Ottawa. All proper procedures were followed and signed off on by the appropriate people.