Andrew Scheer has resigned as leader of the federal Conservatives.
Scheer made the announcement in the House of Commons on Thursday.
He told his fellow MPs it was “one of the most difficult decisions” he has made.
Scheer said he will stay on as leader until a replacement is named and he will be asking the Conservative Party national council to immediately begin the process of organizing a leadership convention.
Scheer says this is a decision he came to after many long hard conversations over the past two months since the election campaign.
“In order to chart the course ahead, this party needs someone who can give 100 percent to the efforts. After some conversations with my kids, my loved ones… I felt it was time to put my family first,” Scheer noted.
He says serving as the leader of the Conservatives has been the opportunity and challenge of a lifetime.
The Conservatives failed to capture the most seats in October’s federal election despite getting a slightly greater share of the popular vote compared to the Liberals.
