Erin O’Toole snags high-profile endorsement of Gérard Deltell in Conservative leadership race

Conservative leadership contender Erin O’Toole has scored the endorsement from high-profile Quebec politician Gérard Deltell.

O’Toole announced the backing during a news conference at the National Press Theatre today.

Deltell is the Conservative finance critic. Prior to running for the federal Conservatives in 2015, he was a prominent provincial politician in Quebec, serving as the final leader of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) until it merged to form the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) in 2012.

Deltell praised O’Toole’s “impressive” track record in the military and as a lawyer and cabinet minister, and said his “pragmatic” policy approach will unite Conservatives and Canadians.

“He right for the party, he’s right for the country,” he said.

Deltell said he took time to carefully evaluate all 14 candidates in the race, and concluded O’Toole is best to lead the party.

O’Toole launched his leadership bid in October, promising to deliver experience, fresh ideas and a “track record of getting things done.”

The former veterans affairs minister and current MP for Durham is a former Canadian Armed Forces captain.

O’Toole heaped mutual praise on Deltell, calling him a leading voice of the future of the party.

Article source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/otoole-conservative-leadership-deltell-1.4019188?cmp=rss