Pierre Poilievre wakes up today as the new leader of the Conservative party, coming off a landslide victory.
Before he can enjoy the victory, he has a list of things to do.
The House of Commons is set to resume sitting in nine days, meaning Poilievre and his inner circle must decide who will take on their critical roles.
Poilievre has no names to pick, given how 62 of the other 118 party members chose to back him in the campaign.
He must also decide where to place MPs who were former leadership rivals: Scott Aitchison and Leslyn Lewis.
The Conservative caucus is also expected to meet on Monday, where Poilievre and the MPs he leads – including those who did not back him in the contest – will set their priorities for the autumn.
Saturday’s leadership election results show Poilievre didn’t just win big — but really big.
A detailed breakdown of the results shows he won nearly all of the country’s 338 ridings, including most of them in Quebec.
This would be a disappointment to his former prime minister Jean Charest, who was Poilievre’s main opponent in the race.
Lewis also exited Saturday with only about nine percent support, having exceeded expectations for many in the party with a strong third-place showing in the 2020 leadership contest.
Poilievre singled out supporters of Lewis and Charest, as well as those who supported Ontario Rural MP Scott Aitchison and former Ontario legislator Roman Baber in his victory speech.
“I open my arms to you,” he said.
Those who took the stage Saturday, including outgoing interim leader Candice Bergen, spoke of the need for party unity.
Poilievre, having secured a first-ballot victory with nearly 70 percent of support, will be seen by many in the party as a good first step.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 11, 2022.
