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He made special mention of Maxime Bernier, whom he pipped for the leadership, thanking him for his “bold campaign.”

It was noticeable that Bernier and other leadership candidates Erin O’Toole, Kellie Leitch, Michael Chong, Stephen Blaney, Brad Trost and Lisa Raitt were at the forefront of the Conservative assault on the government during Question Period.

There are risks in this for the new leader. His questions are often pointed and funny but he tends to read them, and he is less forceful than O’Toole or Raitt.

But Scheer campaigned as a unifier and he’s now obliged to lead as one.

This is very much a “first among equals” leader and, as such, he has to be assured enough to give his former rivals face time.

The advantage is that a unified caucus is less likely to splinter on divisive issues like abortion.

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The focus of much of the post-leadership election commentary has been on how Scheer will repay his debt to the social conservatives who got him elected.

MPs like Michelle Rempel, who is fiercely pro-choice, claimed Monday that the new leader has put the issue to bed by saying he will not reopen the abortion debate.

But far from being put to bed, it is running around like an over-dextrosed toddler.

This is not just a media construct. It is a concern for voters, with polls consistently showing a clear majority endorsing a woman’s right to choose.

Harper was not openly pro-life and he did not owe his job to the so-cons. Yet the Liberals accused Harper of having a “hidden agenda” in four successive elections. Now, that agenda is not even being hidden by MPs who will likely be senior members of the shadow cabinet.