Editing Andrew Scheer (section)

=== Leader of the Conservative Party ===
[[File:Swearing In - Assermentation (37356449481).jpg|thumb|right|Scheer in the Large Drawing Room of [[Rideau Hall]] being sworn into the [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada]]]]
After the August 2017 [[Unite the Right rally|Charlottesville, Virginia "Unite the Right" rally]], Scheer denounced ''Rebel News''<ref>Then known as '''The Rebel Media'''</ref> due to its sympathetic coverage of the rally,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metronews.ca/views/metro-views/2017/08/29/brian-mulroney-named-names-and-denounced-racism-in-the-80s-why-can-t-andrew-scheer-mochama.html|title=Mulroney denounced racism in the '80s. Why can't Andrew Scheer right now?: Mochama {{!}} Metro News|work=metronews.ca|access-date=31 October 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104174621/http://www.metronews.ca/views/metro-views/2017/08/29/brian-mulroney-named-names-and-denounced-racism-in-the-80s-why-can-t-andrew-scheer-mochama.html|archive-date=4 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and stated that he would stop doing interviews with The Rebel Media until its "editorial directions" changed.<ref name=Maloney>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2017/08/17/andrew-scheer-says-he-won-t-do-interviews-with-rebel-media-until_a_23080706/|first=Ryan|last=Maloney|title=Scheer Says He Won't Do Interviews with the Rebel|date=17 August 2017}}</ref> The following day, Scheer stated that he would not be granting interviews with Rebel going forward in an interview with the ''[[National Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/after-events-cancelled-at-toronto-campuses-andrew-scheer-says-universities-have-right-to-decide-who-gets-space|title=After campus events cancelled, Andrew Scheer says universities have right to decide who gets space|date=18 August 2017|work=National Post|access-date=20 March 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Andrew Scheer with Kelly Knight Craft - 2018 (25766214208).jpg|thumb|right|Scheer and US Ambassador to Canada, [[Kelly Craft]], January 2018]]
On January 4, 2018, Scheer expelled Senator [[Lynn Beyak]] from the Conservative caucus, after she refused to remove one of her letters that suggested Indigenous people want to get things for "no effort". He also stated that "Racism will not be tolerated in the Conservative caucus or Conservative Party of Canada".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/sen-lynn-beyak-removed-from-tory-caucus-over-racist-post-on-website-scheer|title=Sen. Lynn Beyak booted from Conservative caucus over 'racist' post on website|date=5 January 2018|work=National Post|access-date=9 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Scheer said that his office was only aware of the letters on 2 January, but Garnet Angeconeb, a [[Residential School System|residential school]] survivor, stated that he emailed Scheer and Conservative Senate Leader [[Larry Smith (Canadian politician)|Larry Smith]] about them on September 15, 2017, and did not get a response.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-friday-edition-1.4474747/residential-school-survivor-says-he-told-andrew-scheer-about-lynn-beyak-s-letters-months-ago-1.4474779|title=Residential school survivor says he told Andrew Scheer about Lynn Beyak's letters months ago|work=CBC Radio|access-date=9 January 2018|language=en}}</ref> In response, Beyak said neither Scheer nor anyone from his office contacted her to take down a letter.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/beyak-responds-scheer-letter-1.4477702|title=Ousted Tory senator denies Andrew Scheer's version of events {{!}} CBC News|work=CBC|access-date=9 January 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> A senior Conservative source supported Beyak's accusation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/lynn-beyak-senators-request-ethics-1.4479254|title=Independent senators call for ethics probe into 'deeply offensive' comments on Lynn Beyak's website|work=CBC News|access-date=9 January 2018|language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Andrew Scheer with Theresa May - 2018 (25826513867) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Scheer meeting British Prime Minister [[Theresa May]] in London, March 2018]]
Scheer travelled to the United Kingdom in March 2018 to "lay the groundwork" for a [[Canada–United Kingdom relations|Canada–UK]] trade agreement, should he become prime minister after the [[43rd Canadian federal election|2019 election]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Scheer off to London to lay groundwork for Canada-U.K. free trade deal should he become PM|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-united-kingdom-trip-1.4563485|agency=The Canadian Press}}</ref> In London, he met with Prime Minister [[Theresa May]], [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] [[Boris Johnson]], and other UK ministers including [[Liam Fox]] and [[Sajid Javid]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Andrew Scheer talks trade in London amid chaos of Brexit, Trump tariffs|publisher=Metro Toronto|date=5 March 2018}}</ref> Scheer's trip faced minor criticism from ''The Globe and Mail'' and the ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]''. The ''Citizen'' editorial commented that the trip was "undiplomatic" and "not statesmanlike", while the ''Globe'' editorial pointed out that a Canada–UK trade agreement had already been announced the prior year by Prime Minister Trudeau.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/gormley-why-mr-scheers-trip-to-london-is-so-impolite|title=Gormley: Why Mr. Scheer's trip to London is so impolite|date=9 March 2018|work=Ottawa Citizen|access-date=15 March 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-globe-editorial-andrew-scheers-strange-mission-to-london/|title=Globe editorial: Andrew Scheer's strange mission to London|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref>

Toward the end of March 2018, the Opposition held a [[filibuster]] over the government's India trip, which was intended to persuade the governing Liberals to answer questions in the House of Commons about the apparent scandal, and provide open and transparent information to the Canadian public; the filibuster lasted 21 hours costing taxpayers $50,000 per hour in overtime fees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4106142/jaspal-atwal-conservative-filibuster/|title=Another Conservative filibuster in the works over Jaspal Atwal affair|work=Global News|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tories-all-night-votes-testimony-1.4589359|title=Tories wrap up day-long standoff in House of Commons {{!}} CBC News|work=CBC|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> It was revealed that a few days before commencing the filibuster to demand information, Scheer's office was offered a briefing by the [[Privy Council Office (Canada)|Privy Council Office]] regarding the trip. A spokesperson of Scheer's responded to these claims by stating "Has the government offered Andrew a briefing? The answer is 'no{{'"}}, and "This [is] fake news."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/03/22/scheer-denies-trudeau-government-offered-briefing-jaspal-atwal_a_23393076/|title=Scheer's Office Denies Gov't Offered Him Briefing on Atwal Affair|date=22 March 2018|work=HuffPost Canada|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en-CA}}</ref> A day later, Andrew Scheer called the allegation "completely false" and stated he would accept an offer if it were made to all members of Parliament. It was later revealed that the [[Clerk of the Privy Council (Canada)|clerk of the Privy Council]], [[Michael Wernick]] approached Scheer's chief of staff and Conservative MP [[Tony Clement]] to brief Scheer on any information the Privy Council may have. Clement responded that he would not confirm or deny it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/03/23/andrew-scheer-jaspal-atwal-affair-briefing_a_23393925/|title=Scheer Hints He Doesn't Want Private Briefing on Atwal Affair|date=23 March 2018|work=HuffPost Canada|access-date=27 March 2018|language=en-CA}}</ref> A couple of weeks later, Scheer accepted a briefing on the matter.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4119853/andrew-scheer-jaspal-atwal-india-trip/|title=Andrew Scheer says he will accept unclassified briefing on Jaspal Atwal affair – and invite media|work=Global News|access-date=22 May 2018|language=en}}</ref>

After the Conservative Convention in August 2018, Scheer denied an allegation that the Dairy Farmers of Canada worked with his office to block a motion to change the party's position on [[Supply management (Canada)|supply management]] after a page from the briefing book was already made public on Twitter by a Conservative delegate.<ref name="theglobeandmail.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/full-text-the-dairy-lobby-briefing-binder-found-on-the-floor-of-the-conservative-convention|title=Full text: The dairy lobby briefing binder found on the floor of the Conservative convention|work=National Post|date=28 August 2018|language=en-CA|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref>

====2019 federal election====
{{main|2019 Canadian federal election}}
At the 2019 election, Scheer led the Conservatives to a gain of 26 seats for a total of 121, up from 95 at the time of dissolution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://election.ctvnews.ca/conservatives-win-popular-vote-but-lose-election-1.4649651|title=Conservatives win popular vote but lose election|website=election.ctvnews.ca|date=22 October 2019}}</ref> However, they finished 36 seats behind the Liberals despite winning 34.4 per cent of the popular vote to the Liberals' 33.1 per cent, a margin of just over 240,000 votes. It was the first time since 1979 that a party won the most seats without winning the popular vote.<ref name=toronto>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-election-results-1.5330105|title=Ontario and Quebec keep Liberals in power and Conservatives out|publisher=cbc.ca|date=22 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://election.ctvnews.ca/historic-opportunity-opposition-leaders-take-stock-after-liberal-minority-win-1.4649796|title='Historic opportunity': Opposition leaders take stock after Liberal minority win|first=Rachel|last=Aiello|date=22 October 2019|website=Federal Election 2019}}</ref> It was also the first time since a government took power with less than 35 per cent of the national popular vote since the [[John A. Macdonald]]-led Tories in 1867, who had 34.8 per cent.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/election-2019/canadian-federal-election-2019-liberals-justin-trudeau-win|title=All-time low share of popular vote is enough for Liberals to win power &#124; National Post|newspaper=National Post |date=22 October 2019|last1=Brean |first1=Joseph }}</ref>

Much of the Conservatives' plurality was built on large margins in Alberta and Saskatchewan, where they won 70 per cent and 65 per cent of the popular vote, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-election-results-2019-cbc-leaders-1.5329485|title=Liberals take losses but win enough in Quebec and Ontario to form minority government|publisher=cbc.ca|date=21 October 2019}}</ref> However, they only won five seats in the suburbs of the [[Greater Toronto Area]] and were completely shut out in Toronto itself, in part due to the unpopularity of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|provincial Conservative]] government of Premier [[Doug Ford]].<ref name=toronto/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-vote-compass-results-1.5329652|title=Doug Ford's government hurt Andrew Scheer in Ontario, Vote Compass data suggests|publisher=cbc.ca|date=21 October 2019}}</ref>

On December 12, 2019, Scheer announced that he would resign as leader of the Conservatives and Official Opposition, staying on until a new leader could be selected.<ref name=resign>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/scheer-resigns-1.5393803|title=Conservative caucus backs Scheer as interim leader amid private school backlash|publisher=cbc.ca|date=12 December 2019}}</ref> The same day, the Conservative Party confirmed that it had been paying the difference in the cost of private school tuition for Scheer's children in Saskatchewan and the higher cost of tuition in Ottawa—insisting the tuition matter was not the reason for Scheer's resignation.<ref name=resign/>