Conservative MP Lisa Raitt said her party needs to quickly figure out what went wrong in Monday鈥檚 election, including why the party failed to 鈥渃onnect鈥� with women between the ages of 18 and 49.
鈥淲hy did they become attracted to the Liberals?鈥� . 鈥淲as it policy? Was it personality?鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, but we certainly need to figure that out, and we need to figure that out quickly.鈥�
The outgoing transport minister managed to win the Toronto-area seat of Milton on Monday night, while fellow GTA cabinet ministers Joe Oliver, Julian Fantino and Chris Alexander went down in defeat.
Raitt鈥檚 name has been circulated by pundits as a possible successor to Stephen Harper, who resigned as leader as the results rolled in.
Raitt wouldn鈥檛 say whether she plans to run for the top job, adding her party needs 鈥渁 conversation鈥� about what went wrong before selecting a new leader.
Raitt pointed out that the Conservatives managed to secure nearly 100 seats, so it wasn鈥檛 鈥渁n abysmal showing.鈥�
鈥淲hat鈥檚 heartening for me is that people do like our policies,鈥�
Raitt cautioned about pegging the failure to win government on 鈥渙ne man, the leader.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a dangerous step,鈥� 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 about necessarily one person, it鈥檚 not about one campaign. It has to be a combination of things and we鈥檝e got to figure out what it was.鈥�
Calgary MP Jason Kenney, who held the high-profile immigration and defence portfolios, is also seen as a possible leadership contender.
He told The Canadian Press Tuesday that the party needs 鈥渁 conservatism that is sunnier and more optimistic than what we have sometimes conveyed.鈥�
Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau began his victory speech Monday by quoting Wilfrid Laurier, saying that 鈥渟unny ways鈥� and a 鈥減ositive campaign鈥� helped the Liberals win.
