Patrone: Tories Showcase ‘Woke’ Successor To O’Toole?

She’s young, female, bilingual, openly gay, and has already been mocked by critics as the ‘woke’ face of the future Conservative Party.

Rookie Thornhill MP Melissa Lantsman’s debut in Parliament got a lot of online attention and frankly, has some of us wondering if she’s being groomed for big things.

In a world where identity politics is everything, what more can you ask for from a future leader of the party?

Ok, if you want to nitpick, maybe a lot more.

Like, how about an extended period of business experience outside the world of spin-doctoring for politicians?

Obviously, that’s not a prerequisite.

The current Prime Minister’s pre-politics work experience has been a rich source of fodder for those heaping ridicule on Justin Trudeau. So for those who insist the Conservative Party needs to move left to attract progressive young urban voters, Lantsman checks off a lot of boxes.

The Tories appear to be showcasing her as the face it wants to present to centrist voters who weren’t sold on leader Erin O’Toole’s flirtation with progressive policies during the last federal election. So much so, the party’s unofficial social media arm is already gushing about the rookie MPs “destruction” of PM Justin Trudeau during question period.

Lantsman’s feisty, “little concerned” ribbing of the PM caught the attention of long time political watcher Brian Lilley of the Toronto Sun.

Others wary of Lantsman’s progressive stance are less than thrilled with her but admit she seems to be one to watch as O’Toole faces challenges to his leadership.

Intelligence analyst Tom Quiggin was quick to seize on the idea Lantsman’s profile is almost every consultant’s idea of what the next Tory leader should be.

Lantsman’s communications experience should serve her well as she navigates the minefield of politics in Ottawa. She’ll know how to avoid the kind of gaffes that have plagued rookie MPs in the past.

If she’s genuinely interested in a shot at the top job one day, she may want to start making overtures to grassroots conservatives across the country.

If she has the maturity and intelligence to process the depth of resentment and frustration that have fractured the party and the country, she’ll be a force to reckoned with.

If not, the political landscape is littered with people who showed all kinds of promise but were unable to understand and appreciate the country beyond the Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal bubble.

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