Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre’s staff has reached out to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s workplace to rearrange a name between the 2, an obvious bid to ease tensions after Poilievre’s social gathering misplaced the federal election.
The transfer follows weeks of battle inside Canada’s conservative motion, together with public criticism from Ford.
“I believe he is requested everybody throughout the nation for a gathering. I’ve no drawback with that. And I would be very happy to speak to anybody and work with anybody. That is simply what we do,” mentioned Ford on Wednesday.
The frosty relationship between Ontario Progressive Conservatives and the federal Conservatives was on display throughout the campaign, culminating in an accusation from the Ontario premier final Wednesday in a information convention in Brampton, Ont.
“Final time I checked, Pierre Poilievre by no means got here out in our election. As a matter of reality, him, or one in every of his lieutenants, informed each one in every of his members, do not you dare exit and assist the PCs. Is not that ironic?” mentioned Ford.
When requested to account for the disconnect between the 2 leaders, Ford mentioned final week that “all they must do is make a telephone name.”
Ford is one in every of two Progressive Conservative premiers who’ve taken situation with Poilievre and his staff in latest weeks. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston confirmed tensions between his workplace and Poilievre’s senior adviser, Jenni Byrne, in a information convention final week.
“I believe after 4 consecutive losses to the Liberal Get together, I believe it is time for them to do some soul-searching,” mentioned Houston.
He mentioned the federal Conservatives have been “nice at pushing individuals away and never so good at pulling individuals in.”
A spokesperson for Houston’s workplace, Catherine Klimek, mentioned he has not but acquired any post-election correspondence from Poilievre’s workplace. Houston is presently on a trade mission in Spain.
Poilievre’s outreach comes as he met with the Conservative caucus on Tuesday, the place sources say he spoke at size. Two caucus sources mentioned he appeared humbled in his remarks.
Earlier that morning, Poilievre spoke to reporters for the primary time since election evening — and since information broke that he misplaced in his personal Ottawa-area using.
He defended the marketing campaign his social gathering ran, however indicated some adjustments can be coming.
“We’ve got to enlarge our staff, develop our assist, construct on our caucus strengths,” he mentioned to reporters on Parliament Hill.
Poilievre seeks to maintain the Conservative management and seems to have the assist of caucus. He plans to run in an Alberta byelection which is on monitor to occur this summer season.
Whereas Poilievre is exterior of the Home of Commons, former Conservative chief Andrew Scheer might be taking over the function of interim chief of the Opposition.
Neither the Conservative Get together nor the Workplace of the Chief of the Official Opposition responded to a request for remark.
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