Team Canada needs a new captain in Erin O'Toole

Erin O'Toole has been elected the new leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Official Opposition and will soon run for Prime Minster of Canada. As Erin's Saskatchewan Campaign Co-Chair, it was an honour to help build a team of loyal patriots from coast to coast to coast united in our mission to restore Canada's integrity, our standing on the world stage, and usher in a new era of economic prosperity.

Our message is one focused on uniting all Canadians behind these shared goals among others, and to bring the focus back to competent, ethical leadership and a concrete plan to get Canada back on track. It is for these reasons that I think former Air Force Captain, lawyer, and Cabinet Minister Erin O'Toole should be Canada's next Prime Minister.

My exchanges with Erin have shown him to be a grounded, personable guy  who loves his family and values hard work. He is a decisive and strong leader who empowers and trusts the people around him; and it is this "team player" attitude that I like most about Erin. Canada is a vast and diverse country that is home to people with different views on many issues, and our leader needs to be somebody with the ability to put aside those differences in order to focus on the many things that bring us together.

I am confident that Erin has what it takes to build those bridges, both literally and metaphorically. His "get things done" attitude will no doubt prove an invaluable quality in cleaning up the utter financial and economic disaster the Trudeau Liberals have created.

In order to win against the Liberals in the next election, we must perform substantially better in metropolitan regions like the greater Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal areas. Erin was born in Montreal, has 10 years of experience working as a private lawyer in Toronto, and has a proven ability to win elections in a GTA riding. He has shown me through his words and actions that he not only understands urban Canada but is able to win elections with a strong Conservative message.

He also knows that the Conservative party only succeeds when we welcome members of all walks of life into our fold, striving for inclusivity and creating a broad tent united by the countless common causes that Conservatives, moderates, and even many former Liberals can get behind.

Erin makes a very compelling choice for those who have conventionally voted for other parties but are looking for a change in approach from their Federal government. Focusing on issues like eliminating job killing legislation, defending the rule of law, standing up to China’s bullying on the world stage, and creating business-friendly environmental policies will keep our party focused on policies that all Canadians can get behind.

Before making the important decision to endorse Erin and become involved in his campaign, I consulted with many close friends, confidants, and most importantly with many constituents. They consistently told me that Canada needs a unifying Prime Minister who will fight for Canadians and take the steps necessary to reverse the damage done by this Liberal government.

Erin O’Toole is the right person for that job, and I know he can secure the support we need in battleground regions to take us over the finish line in the next election. Canada is set for some challenging days, weeks, months, and years ahead in the wake of this global pandemic, and the fiscal mess left by the Liberal government's hasty response (alongside years of previous wasteful spending) it will take generations to clean up.

We also will inherit a series of diplomatic catastrophes that require serious and urgent attention so that we can restore our standing on the world stage. Only the fiscal responsibility, professional diplomacy, discipline, and competence offered by Erin O’Toole’s leadership can get us out of the hole the Liberals have dug for us; and I have a feeling most Canadians will agree. Justin Trudeau's only concern is his wealthy friends and elite insiders.  It is time that Canadians have a Prime Minister who will fight unrelentingly for us all. Erin will be that Prime Minister.

Warren Steinley is a Conservative MP for Regina-Lewvan.