New Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold. (Mel Arnold/Twitter)

By Pete McIntyre

increased engagement

Local MP says new Conservative leader provides ‘optimism’ for Canadians

Sep 12, 2022 | 10:45 AM

The MP for North Okanagan-Shuswap is congratulating new Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, and says he looks forward to working with him to deliver initiatives on affordability and provide optimism for generations of Canadians.

“On Saturday, members of the Conservative Party of Canada chose my friend and colleague Pierre Poilievre to lead our party and I have extended my congratulations to Pierre on the clear and decisive support he received from across Canada,” Mel Arnold said in a statement.

Arnold said Poilievre led a movement to motivate Canadians in his riding and elsewhere to engage in federal politics which led to a record number of memberships for the leadership vote.

The party said in July 269,469 members were eligible to vote in the leadership race, of which about 100,000 purchased their membership since the start of 2020.

“I am encouraged to see this increase in political engagement, especially in the North Okanagan-Shuswap, and I thank all who volunteered in campaigns, signed up to be a member of the movement and voted for the future of our party and nation,” Arnold said.

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Poilievre, a 43-year-old MP for Ontario’s Carlton riding who was born in Calgary, cruised to the opposition leader’s office with a blowout victory that saw him capture nearly 70 per cent support from party members. The party said he carried 330 of 338 ridings with at least a plurality (the number of votes cast for a candidate who receives more than any other but does not receive an absolute majority).

“I look forward to working with Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Caucus to deliver policies and initiatives that will address affordability and provide optimism for generations of Canadians here in the North Okanagan-Shuswap and across the country,” Arnold added.

Arnold threw his support behind Poilievre back in April after the then-leadership candidate spoke before hundreds of supporters at the Schubert Centre in Vernon.

Poilievre, the former cabinet minister, known for his combative style, won a first-ballot victory Saturday with 68.15 per cent support as the results were announced before a room of Conservative faithful in Ottawa.

Jean Charest got 16.07 per cent of the points allocated in the preferential ballot election.

Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis garnered 9.69 per cent of the points. Former Ontario MPP Roman Baber, a vocal critic of COVID restrictions, took 5.03 per cent, while MP Scott Aitchison, a former mayor in Ontario’s cottage country, took about 1 per cent of the points.

Arnold, from Salmon Arm, is in his third term as MP.

(With files from The Canadian Press)