EDITORIAL: Check egos and put Canada first

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These are perilous times for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. He must act cautiously.

While he increased his party’s popular vote and seat count in this week’s election, he lost his own seat. Some suggest there’s a quick fix. A Conservative MP in a safe seat will quit and open up a space for him to run.

Not so fast. Voters don’t like being taken for granted. Once upon a time, it wasn’t unusual for a politician to win the leadership of a party and then be offered a safe seat. The late Prime Minister Brian Mulroney did it. That doesn’t always work.

Look no further than Ontario in 2009 for a cautionary tale. John Tory had previously won the PC Party leadership and a long-time MPP resigned, opening up a safe rural seat, which Tory won in a byelection. For reasons known best to Tory, in the general election, he turned his back on that seat to run in an urban Toronto riding, where he lost. After a long seat search, he prevailed upon another rural MPP to step aside so he could run in what was seen as a rock-solid Conservative riding. In a humbling election outcome, he lost. Why? Because voters viewed the move with cynicism.

Don’t take voters for granted by attempting to replace a well-liked and respected local representative with an outsider they may view as a political opportunist. Don’t expect an MP who’s just come through a hard-fought election to willingly resign to make way for a parachutist.

If Poilievre chooses and loses the wrong riding, he’ll edge the Liberals closer to majority territory.

On the other side of the aisle, Prime Minister Mark Carney must respect and acknowledge his paper-thin win. Liberals won 43.7% of the vote while Conservatives had 41.3%.

This country is fighting for its economic life and its sovereignty. Just as the Conservatives need to work with the government to provide stability, so Carney must consult with Conservatives, especially in Alberta. His predecessor, Justin Trudeau, failed to do so and this country is weaker and divided because of it.

The people have spoken. They want stability. They want maturity and they want politicians to check their egos and put Canada ahead of all other considerations.