O'Toole's lack of leadership and vision was the problem, not big tent CPC: Edmonton-area MPs

Erin O'Toole was the problem in the Conservative Party, not an ideological divide over how socially moderate its policies should be, according to a pair of Edmonton-area Members of Parliament.

O'Toole resigned as leader Wednesday after losing a vote of caucus 73-45.

Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan MP Garnett Genuis cast his ballot to replace O'Toole, but he rejected suggestions the divide was about social policies like vaccine mandates.

"This isn't about some kind of ideological divide. Our party is made up of people who love to work together, agree most of the time, and love to work together even when we don't agree. But that unity has to come from vision, it has to come from leadership," Genuis said Tuesday.

In Monday tweets, O'Toole characterized the party dispute as a battle between his moderate vision and one that is "angry, negative, and extreme."

"The other road is to better reflect the Canada of 2022. To recognize that conservatism is organic not static and that a winning message is one of inclusion, optimism, ideas and hope," he tweeted.

Genuis said O'Toole's leadership had become "untenable," although he cited party confidence in refusing to detail exactly why.

"I think there were a lot of people, after the election, that were prepared to give Mr. O'Toole a chance going forward. Six months later, there's been a lot of things that have happened," he said, adding that he's "optimistic" about the future of the party.

'YOU HAVE TO FORMULATE A PLAN AND A VISION'

Edmonton-Riverbend MP Matt Jeneroux also voted against O'Toole, even though he generally agreed with some of the ousted leader's moderate social policies.

"As someone who is socially liberal and fiscally conservative, I still felt Erin had lost the trust of Canadians," Jeneroux told CTV News Edmonton.

"Erin, throughout the election campaign in my opinion had some flip-flop of ideas before, during, and after the election, that left us in a difficult spot," he explained.

Jeneroux is also hopeful that a new leader can keep conservatives together.

"Leaders like Brian Mulroney and Stephen Harper were able to form these coalitions that could then ultimately govern the country. I think it can and has worked in the past, and that's what I'd like to see," he said.

Former Edmonton-Centre MP James Cumming wrote a report about what went wrong for the party in the last election.

He also feels the plan under O'Toole missed the mark, and he suggested the party focus on creating jobs.

"At the end of the day you have to formulate a plan and a vision and it's gotta be something that articulates with Canadians, or you'll end up in opposition," Cumming said.

The party was expected to choose a new interim leader by the end of Wednesday.

As for who takes over long-term, Cumming said it's important that they hear dissenting voices, and then figure out how to distil that into a unified message.

"Hopefully, through this leadership race there will be somebody who can bring the party together. The interesting thing about the conservative movement is they encourage debate. They encourage differences of opinion, and I think it's healthy to be able to have a dialogue," Cumming said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski