The original Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, and the only successful Conservative Prime Minister has just formally endorsed his former Minister, and now leadership hopeful, Pierre Poilievre.

"It may be useful for my fellow party members to hear my views straight from me" said the former Prime Minister in a video posted to his social media pages before explaining his endorsement of Pierre Poilievre, the front runner to replace Erin O'Toole as the leader of the Conservative of Canada.

He is bringing the most new members and a new generation into our party. That's how we win the next election. In my opinion, Pierre has made by far the strongest case that he is the person to do that.

https://t.co/T94tPmMViZ pic.twitter.com/GNFEmx68qO

— Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) July 26, 2022

Poilievre served as Minister of State for Democratic Reform and Minister of Employment and Social Development under Harper.

Jean Charest, presumed second behind Poilievre in the race to lead the CPC responded to Harper's endorsement of Poilievre Monday night.

The choice is clear / le choix est crucial#cdnpoli #polcan #cpcldr pic.twitter.com/XDyJPkPuK9

— Jean Charest (@JeanCharest_) July 26, 2022

Conservatives only win when they are united. Stephen Harper was successful in uniting the Conservative Party of Canada. As the leader of the CPC, I commit to doing the same. Mr. Harper has made his personal choice. He and his supporters will always be welcome in the CPC.

Charest is the former Liberal Premier of Quebec and Deputy PM in Kim Campell's short-lived Progressive Conservative government, which lasted only five months before the party was reduced to just 2 seats in the House of Commons, down from 156.

The implosion of the PCs under Campbell laid the groundwork for Stephen Harper to build the modern Canadian conservative movement from the ashes of the Campbell-Charest PC Party and the Reform Party.

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