There’s a new conservatism coming to Canada. It’s too soon to say what direction it will head in. Or what issues it will focus on. But there’s no doubt it’s going to look a lot like Michelle Rempel and others like her.

Only days after the election the MP for Calgary Nose Hill tweeted “Here’s the question – are you ready for someone like me?”

As in a woman? As in a 35-year-old? As in someone possessing an exceedingly optimistic outlook?

Whatever she meant, the answer better be yes to all three, at least where Rempel’s party is concerned. Because these are all characteristics the Conservatives need to put front and centre if they’re going to show to Canadians their ways are a strong match for the “sunny ways” of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals.

Yet while Rempel departs from the cliched image of old-guard conservatism that the public rightly or wrongly holds, her philosophical bona fides are no radical departure.

“I fundamentally do not believe that the founding principles of our party need to change,” Rempel says in an interview at her office, referring to all the post-election chatter about rebuilding the Tories.

“I find it deeply alarming that whenever a conservative asks questions about fiscal prudence or financial management or questions a progressive ideology, that they’re labeled as fear-mongers or negative,” she says. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

But what can be done to change this perception of Conservatives as “meanies,” one that clearly played a part in Stephen Harper’s defeat? Rempel’s evidently put a lot of thought into such questions, having run for the recent interim leadership.

“We can’t make assumptions as Conservatives when we communicate with Canadians,” she says. “We have to show them through action why the principles that we talk about create a vision that’s in the best interests of the country – a prosperous, stable, inclusive, world-respected Canada. And that is the question for our party as we move forward.”

Rempel was first elected in 2011, then became minister of state for western economic diversification in 2013 – making her the youngest female minister in Canadian history.

It’s this combination of youth and experience that positions her well to be one of the key Conservatives who can sell the positive, uplifting side of small government values to the country and young voters.

Plus with politicians like Rempel leading the charge, progressives will have a harder time framing the debate. The dynamics will have changed.

This played out Thursday in the House of Commons, when Rempel, as immigration critic, asked minister John McCallum a question. She asked it with a straight face and the Liberal MP began his answer saying “we’re into sunny ways. I would suggest my colleague look a little more cheerful.”

It was classic Liberal smugness. It was that whole “Conservatives are a bunch of grumpy, old men living in the past” smear they can get away with it.

Except they didn’t get away with it this time. It was the 65-year-old McCallum who looked like the out-of-touch old dude, his words coming across as “c’mon sweetheart, give us a smile” like she was a file clerk at a 1950s ad agency and not a former minister of state who deserves much greater respect. (McCallum apologized for the remark.)

The list of possible Conservative leadership contenders is a long one. Regardless of whether Rempel eventually declares, the party would be nuts to not feature her prominently going forward.

Her passion for selling the party to Canadians is just what they need right now.

“We need to say ‘look, this is how our policy makes your life better’,” Rempel says. “And I know we can do that. That’s a challenge that excites me.”