He was Conservative non grata after the carbon tax fiasco, so eh, thanks China!

Explosive internal Conservative Party emails obtained by The Bureau reveal that on August 26, 2021, a senior party official expressed concern over then-leader Erin O’Toole’s breakthrough in the polls — the first time the Conservatives inched ahead of Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. This same Ontario-based Chinese Canadian official would later spearhead a petition against O’Toole following the party’s election defeat, while a group of Conservatives simultaneously accused him of alienating Chinese diaspora voters, ultimately contributing to his removal as leader.

Just days before, on August 23, 2021, pollster Nik Nanos described the election as a “dead heat” in his analysis. “You’ve got to be disappointed if you happen to be a supporter of the Liberals,” Nanos said. “Now the race is on.” By August 26, O’Toole had pulled ahead — a development that prompted suspicious criticism among a subset of Conservative Party officials.

According to The Bureau’s review of emails between Conservative national councillors, a message dated August 26, 2021, shows the Chinese Canadian official voicing concern over reactions to O’Toole’s climb in the polls. The chain began with an internal email titled “Nanos Polling Results Last Night.” One Conservative member wrote, “Erin O’Toole is resonating with the voters for sure, many have made positive comments… I wasn’t getting that in 2019!”[…]

The Bureau can further confirm that this official was removed from the party after an internal investigation found violations, including interference in nomination contests — a breach of party rules requiring strict neutrality from national councillors.

A Conservative source familiar with O’Toole’s campaign and the subsequent investigation said the findings suggested the Chinese Canadian official “broke neutrality in a nomination race.”

“In addition, it is now becoming clearer that was also a complex way to support candidates that won’t take a hardline on China,” the source suggested. “Given what else we know, a much bigger picture is emerging.”[…]

Meanwhile, Conservative Party members have informed The Bureau that pro-Beijing networks appear to be targeting several Conservative nomination races in Vancouver and Toronto, as leader Pierre Poilievre seems poised to capitalize on the collapse of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government — which has been challenged by reports suggesting Trudeau turned a blind eye to Chinese election interference that endangers Canada’s sovereignty.