Bernier says O’Toole not a real conservative, unlike his People’s Party

OTTAWA — People’s Party Leader Maxime Bernier says Erin O’Toole is masquerading as a Conservative and he will now show his real Red Tory face now that he is the party’s leader.

Bernier says there’s nothing to distinguish O’Toole from the Justin Trudeau Liberals, and that his own People’s Party of Canada is the only true conservative party in the country.

O’Toole won the Conservative leadership early Monday with 57 per cent of the vote, defeating his main rival Peter MacKay, who won 43 per cent.

Bernier says neither O’Toole nor MacKay represented the policies of Canadian conservatives, and that his People’s Party is getting ready to fight the next federal election.

Bernier came second in the last Conservative leadership race, but then left to form his new party.

Bernier’s party was subsequently shut out in the 2019 federal election and he lost his own seat.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2020.

The Canadian Press