The federal Conservative Party is working towards reconciling with certain provincial leaders following public tensions with both the Progressive Conservative premiers of Ontario and Nova Scotia last year, according to sources. In December, Steve Outhouse, the new campaign manager for Pierre Poilievre, reached out to the offices of Tim Houston and Doug Ford in an effort to move past a period where both premiers openly criticized the Conservatives led by Poilievre. Sources indicate that this outreach was deemed a priority, with Outhouse, who began his role officially on December 1, seen as a potential mediator due to his positive relationships within Houston and Ford’s offices.
The calls were aimed at emphasizing Poilievre’s team’s interest in establishing a cooperative relationship with the provincial parties and demonstrating a willingness to collaborate. Three sources, who spoke with CBC News on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of internal party affairs, confirmed the outreach effort. It is reported that all parties involved have expressed a mutual desire to move forward from past disagreements.
In a statement, Outhouse highlighted the importance of uniting Conservatives nationwide to secure victory in the upcoming federal election. He emphasized the significance of respecting all segments of the conservative voter coalition and expressed eagerness to collaborate with various conservative factions to achieve electoral success.
Outhouse, a native of Nova Scotia, is scheduled to attend the provincial Progressive Conservative annual general meeting in February and has been in contact with other provincial PC or Conservative teams across the country. His recent campaign experience includes work in Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, and New Brunswick, as well as involvement in Conservative MP Leslyn Lewis’s leadership bids in 2020 and 2022.
The strained relations between Poilievre’s team and the two premiers were evident before, during, and after the last federal election. Tensions with Ontario had already surfaced prior to the federal campaign, with allegations that resources and support were withheld by the federal party during the provincial election. In contrast, Ford engaged with Liberal Leader Mark Carney and publicly critiqued the Conservatives’ campaign tactics. Houston also acknowledged tensions with Poilievre’s former chief adviser, Jenni Byrne, and called for introspection within the federal Conservative ranks.
Efforts to mend relationships have been underway since the 2025 election, with Poilievre publicly supporting Ford and defending the premier on various issues. Poilievre has also reached out to former leadership rival Patrick Brown in a bid to strengthen alliances within the conservative sphere. Despite these efforts, the responses from the premiers’ offices regarding the outreach remain undisclosed.
Poilievre is set to undergo a leadership review at the party’s convention in Calgary later this month.