Erin O’Toole in conversation with Paul Wells: Maclean’s Live

If 20 seats had gone the other way in last year’s federal election, the Conservatives would have more seats than the Liberals. Now it’s Erin O’Toole’s job to get the Conservatives over the top in an election that may come at any time. What’s his plan? The new Conservative leader joined Paul Wells for an in-depth discussion that covered a lot of ground. They spoke about O’Toole’s broad conservative vision; how he’ll put together the party’s next platform; why he’s making a direct appeal to union members and how that jibes with his party’s fractious history with the labour movement; where he thinks the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic went wrong, which provinces are getting it right, and who he consults on health policy; why he opposes Quebec’s controversial Bill 21 but doesn’t promise to stop it; and, of course, how he intends to fight the next election as head of a party that’s had many more failed leaders than prime ministers.

The conversation was first broadcast on the Maclean’s Facebook page as well as at macleans.ca/live on Nov. 17. Follow us on Facebook to be notified of future #MacleansLive conversations.

Presented by the Canadian Bankers Association in partnership with the NAC.

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Past guests include:

November 2020: Annamie Paul, Leader of the Green Party of Canada
October 2020: EJ Dionne Jr., Maryscott “Scotty” Greenwood, Eugene Daniels and Carlos Lozada
October 2020: Investigative journalist Justin Ling on serial killer Bruce McArthur
September 2020: Federal environment minister Jonathan Wilkinson
July 2020: Dr. Catherine Hankins and Dr. David Naylor, members of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
June 2020: Kevin Loring, playwright, actor, director of Indigenous Theatre at the NAC
June 2020: Guest host Desmond Cole with panelists Esi Edugyan, Robyn Maynard, Syrus Marcus Ware and Ian Williams
June 2020: Carol Anderson and Kevin Young
June 2020: Parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux & Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard
May 2020: Health minister Patty Hajdu
May 2020: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney
April 2019: Bank of Canada governor, Stephen Poloz
February 2019: Canadian ambassador to the U.S., David MacNaughton
December 2018: Former prime minister Jean Chrétien
November 2018: Alberta Premier Rachel Notley
September 2018: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
June 2018: Jane Philpott, former minister of Indigenous services.
May 2018: Jason Kenney, leader of Alberta’s United Conservative Party (current Premier of Alberta)
April 2018: Katie Telford, chief of staff to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
March 2018: Conservative leader Andrew Scheer
February 2018: NDP leader Jagmeet Singh