A Brandon University political scientist says the election of Manitoba MP Candice Bergen as interim leader of the federal Conservative Party is seen by some as the right pick — but one not without controversy.
Kelly Saunders told Global News it’s no surprise the veteran MP was given the appointment to hold down the fort after Erin O’Toole was ousted from leadership Wednesday.
“(Bergen) was deputy leader under Erin O’Toole, she was house leader under previous interim leader Rona Ambrose,” said Saunders.
“She’s been an MP for close to 15 years, so she certainly does have a lot of experience within the party and within government.”
Bergen, who was born in Morden but grew up in Warren, has represented the riding of Portage—Lisgar — a federal seat previously held by former Manitoba premier Brian Pallister — since 2008, and has been re-elected three times.
But Saunders pointed out that Bergen has raised eyebrows in the past for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, as well as recently equating protesting truckers in Ottawa to Indigenous protesters protesting the discovery of unmarked graves at residential schools.
“She made what many would see as some disturbing comments in the House of Commons regarding the truckers that were protesting in Ottawa and sort of equating their message and their frustrations with the frustrations of Indigenous protesters,” said Saunders.
“There’s simply no moral equivalency there, so I think it raised a few eyebrows for people across the country.”
While O’Toole was criticized by some Conservative MPs for failing to take a clear stance on the protest, Bergen has offered her full support to the group and dismissed reports of racism and harassment among the demonstrators as the actions of a small few.
Due to her appointment as interim leader, Bergen will not be eligible to run as the permanent leader of the party.
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