We need a principled leader who will unite our party by

“We need a principled leader who will unite our party by respecting all conservatives. A leader who can show more urban and suburban Canadians that their values of liberty, family and equality are at the core of our party.” — Thus spoke Erin O’Toole, with the solemn voice of one who has seen division within the house that should have stood as one. His words are not merely about politics, but about principle, unity, and the eternal struggle between ideals and ambition. In them, there resounds a timeless truth — that no nation, no movement, and no soul can endure if it forgets the virtues that gave it birth.

To call for a principled leader is to invoke the ancient virtue of integrity — the steadfast harmony between word and deed. Such a leader is not swayed by the winds of popularity, nor corrupted by the lure of power, but holds firm to the compass of conviction. O’Toole’s plea is born from the fractures of his time, when conservatives — like all great assemblies — found themselves scattered across factions and feuds. He knew that without a leader who respected all, from the rural heartland to the city square, from the old guard to the young reformer, the body of the party would become lifeless — a vessel adrift without its soul.

In his words, he also recognized the deeper struggle of the age — the growing divide between the urban and suburban Canadians, and the political traditions that sought to speak for them. The city, with its diversity and progress, and the countryside, with its roots and steadiness, had begun to see each other as strangers. O’Toole sought a bridge — a leader who could show that liberty, family, and equality are not relics of one region or class, but universal values, alive in the hearts of all who love their country. In this, his vision echoes that of the great unifiers of history, who reminded their people that the ties that bind are always greater than the fears that divide.

Consider the example of Abraham Lincoln, who in a far different age faced a nation torn asunder. When the North and South no longer recognized each other as kin, Lincoln spoke not to one side, but to the spirit of both — calling upon the “better angels of our nature.” His greatness was not in conquest, but in compassion; not in domination, but in reconciliation. O’Toole’s call for a leader who unites by respect walks in that same tradition. For true leadership, as the ancients taught, is not command but communion — not the power to rule others, but the wisdom to bring hearts together under a shared purpose.

The values of liberty, family, and equality, which O’Toole names as the foundation of his cause, are not inventions of an age or party; they are the pillars upon which all free societies stand. Liberty gives the individual the right to dream and to dissent. Family anchors the soul, reminding every person that love and duty are the roots of civilization. And equality — not sameness, but fairness — ensures that all may stand tall beneath the same sky. When a leader embodies these virtues, politics transcends partisanship; it becomes the art of nurturing the common good.

Yet, as history warns us, unity cannot be demanded — it must be earned through respect. The Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius wrote, “A ruler’s first task is to master himself; only then may he guide others.” Likewise, a principled leader must first conquer pride, anger, and ambition before they can hope to guide a divided people. The greatest danger to any movement is not the strength of its opponents, but the weakness of its own virtues. When ideology hardens into arrogance, and principle is replaced by partisanship, then even the strongest fortress crumbles from within.

And so, O listener, take this teaching to heart: whether you lead a nation, a family, or your own conscience, seek first to unite by respect. Do not dismiss the beliefs of others, but listen, learn, and seek the truth that may dwell even in disagreement. For unity born of domination is brittle, but unity born of respect endures. In your dealings, let principle be your guide and humility your companion. Remember always that the truest strength of any people lies not in uniformity of thought, but in their shared devotion to the good.

Thus, the words of Erin O’Toole endure as a call to all generations — that leadership is not about victory, but vision; not about control, but connection. To unite hearts, to heal divides, to remind a nation that its deepest values still belong to all — this is the sacred labor of every age. And when such a leader rises, they do not merely strengthen their party or their cause; they rekindle the light of hope that binds humanity together beneath one sky.