13.2°C Vancouver

Aug 12, 2020 3:34 PM -

Andrew Scheer likely marking last day in House of Commons as Opposition leader

Share On
andrew-scheer-likely-marking-last-day-in-house-of-commons-as-opposition-leader
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Today's sitting of Parliament is expected to be the last one that will see Andrew Scheer in the role of Conservative leader.

In addition to being an MP from Regina since 2004, he also served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 2011 to 2015.

It was after the Tories lost government in 2015, and the subsequent resignation of then-leader Stephen Harper, that Scheer decided to go for the leadership job.

He won in 2017, eking out a very narrow victory over fellow MP Maxime Bernier.

He spent the next two years trying to gain recognition across the country, while shoring up the party's war chest and policy playbook in order to defeat the Liberal government in the Oct. 2019 election.

But despite the Liberals struggling with several scandals that reduced them to a minority, he failed to outright bring them down.

But the knives came out for Scheer almost immediately after election day.

Among the jabs: party insiders leaked an internal argument over Scheer using party funds to pay for his kids' private religious schooling, a fact unknown to many of the party's executives.

The vote for the Conservative leader is taking place by mail, and all ballots must be back by Aug. 21.

A winner is expected to be announced within days, and very likely before the next sitting of the Commons on Aug. 26.

Latest news

BCMay 07, 2026

Police seek public help identifying suspect in Chilliwack bus driver assault

Chilliwack RCMP are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect connected to an assault on a bus driver earlier this year. According to police, the incident happened March 16 near South Sumas Road and Vedder Road in Chilliwack. Investigators said the suspect was a passenger on the bus and allegedly assaulted the driver, causing injuries. RCMP have not released details about what led to the incident. However, officers said investigators obtained video footage from the area showing a young man leaving the scene after the alleged assault. Police estimate the suspect is between 18 and 19
AlbertaMay 07, 2026

Edmonton expected to see warm temperatures and strong winds into next week

Daytime temperatures in Edmonton are expected to remain between 18 C and 23 C through the rest of this week and into next week, according to weather forecasts. Forecasters say several periods of strong winds are also expected across the region over the next one to two weeks. Environment and Climate Change Canada forecasts stronger wind conditions on Thursday and Friday. Wind speeds could approach 40 kilometres per hour during the afternoon hours. After easing overnight, winds are expected to increase again Friday morning, reaching about 30 km/h. Forecast models suggest conditions may remain re
ottawa-projects-140m-in-savings-from-new-refugee-health-care-co-pay
CanadaMay 07, 2026

Ottawa projects $140M in savings from new refugee health-care co-pay

The federal government says changes to refugee and asylum claimant health coverage introduced this month are expected to reduce public spending by about $140 million this fiscal year. The changes, which took effect May 1 under the Interim Federal Health Program, require refugee claimants and asylum seekers to pay part of the cost for some supplementary and prescription health services. According to federal data tabled in response to an order paper question from NDP MP Heather McPherson, the largest projected savings – about $93 million – are tied to dental care coverage. Under the revised
bjp-sends-defamation-notice-to-punjab-chief-minister-bhagwant-mann
IndiaMay 07, 2026

BJP Sends Defamation Notice to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann

The Bharatiya Janata Party has issued a legal notice to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging defamation over remarks linking the party to recent explosions in Jalandhar and Amritsar. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said the notice accuses the chief minister of making allegations without evidence and seeks action related to criminal defamation, spreading false information, and attempting to incite public unrest. The development follows comments made by Mann a day earlier, in which he alleged that such incidents were being used as political tactics ahead of elections in Punja
india-rejects-csis-allegations-of-foreign-interference-in-canada
CanadaMay 07, 2026

India rejects CSIS allegations of foreign interference in Canada

India has rejected allegations by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) that linked New Delhi to foreign interference activities in Canada, calling the claims “baseless.” Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and described India as a responsible democracy that respects international law and the sovereignty of other nations. Jaiswal said concerns related to such matters should be addressed through established diplomatic channels rather than through public statements or political d

Related News