Kenney wants Conservatives to keep O’Toole as leader

And while the Tories increased its percentage of the popular vote, it came away with two less seats since the 2019 election.

An internal review is now underway looking at the Tories’ election performance.

But Kenney told a Tuesday afternoon press conference constant changing of leaders undermines public confidence in the party.

“A party like the federal Conservatives should maintain stability,” Kenney said.

“I was part of Prime Minister Harper’s Conservative party when he lost the 2004 election. Many people were disappointed. He went on to become prime minister and form a very effective government for the next decade.

“Constantly changing leaders doesn’t create a public confidence, and I think to be a leader, as Mr. O’Toole has tried to be, in the context of a pandemic is especially challenging to get your message out, to meet Canadians, to get to be known.

“I’m sure that Erin is going to work with his team to identify things that could have been done better in this campaign and the lead-up to it, to listen to grassroots party members. But I think the immediate instinct to remove a leader after a disappointing election outcome just creates constant instability.”

While the Conservatives slightly increased their share of the popular vote compared to 2019, they lost two seats overall.

Kenney backed O’Toole in his campaign to be Conservative leader.