Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty said Thursday Andrew Scheer's decision to step down as Conservative leader left him in shock, but as a fellow family man, understands why he made the move.
"I can really appreciate where he's coming from," Doherty said from Ottawa.
Doherty learned the news just prior to giving his reply to the Speech from the Throne in the House of Commons and during his speech spoke of how MPs' relationships can suffer as they do their jobs.
"I know Andrew as a family man," Doherty said. "His wife, Jillian, and his five kids are a priority for him and that's what drew me to support him and I just wish Canadians would've seen the family man behind the scenes and how he was - but his actions today speak to that."
The decision comes less than two months after a disappointing election result and after weeks of Conservative infighting about whether Scheer should stay on.
Several prominent Conservatives have called outright for his resignation, or for him to re-apply for his job in a new leadership contest.
However, Doherty's support for Scheer remained strong.
Under Scheer's leadership, the Conservatives drew one million votes than during the previous election, Doherty noted. But he hinted that the Tories will need to make gains in Greater Toronto to come out ahead next time around.
"It was one area, really, 905 area, that we fell down in," Doherty said.
It will be a matter of emphasizing the Conservatives "track record for holding the country together and being fiscally responsible" to win the next election, he said.
Doherty declined to say what kinds of qualities he will be looking for in a new leader.
"I haven't given it any thought," he said. "It's so fresh. This isn't even an hour, two hours old for us."
Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer, said the news came to him as a surprise.
"The one thing I've understood in the roles I've been in, I understand the stress and scrutiny," Zimmer said. "When you're the leader of the party, it's much more intense and prolonged, and just doesn't go away."
Like Doherty, Zimmer stressed the achievements the Conservatives made in the last election, which included gains of 22 seats from 2015 while the Liberals and NDP both lost seats.
"I supported Andrew early on, and was ready to go into another election. We needed to fix something and the way we talk to Canadians could have been different, but I think we could have won," Zimmer said.
- with files from the Canadian Press, Glacier Media
