Thread by @JPTasker

Good evening #cpcldr folks — I'll be live-tweeting the results as we get them this evening. Of course, those results have already been delayed until 8 p.m. ET at the earliest.

The party's spokesperson says the envelope-opening machines sliced a number of ballots and "in order to properly tabulate them we have to remark a new ballot and to be sure that we’re remarking it in a way that reflects the voters intent, scrutineers are watching closely."

The leadership program starts with a tribute to Scheer, a speech from Scheer and then we'll jump into the first round of results. If a second round is required, that will follow roughly 30 minutes later.

The program clearly won't be starting at 7:30 p.m., so expect further delays.

The electric envelope opener ripped "a large number of ballots" along their creases either completely splitting the ballot in two or creating a gap.

The ballots had to be taped together to be fed, according to a source, or the vote had to be transferred to new ballots.

.@VassyKapelos is reporting that there were a "few thousand" ballots that were ripped by the machine.

The party is informing people who were set to read out the provincial/regional results that the leadership program won't start now until 9 p.m. ET.

Dan Nowlan, co-chair of the CPC LEOC, says they've counted about 98 per cent of the ballots so far.

There are several thousands cut ballots that need to be taped/redone. "We will have a leader tonight it's just a matter of time," he says.

Nowlan can't say when results will come

The program has begun! Jaime Girard, the acting executive director of the party, is speaking now.

The leadership race has been a big boon for the party - there now 270,000 dues-paying members and they've posted a record turnout rate of 65 per cent. cbc.ca/news/politics/…

Scott Lamb, the president of the party, is up now to thank Scheer for his service. He says Scheer had the "daunting task" of taking over the CPC after its "startup leader" Harper left.

Lamb commends Scheer for running a competitive campaign against Trudeau in 2019 - and reducing the Liberals to a minority. "You kept us united and focused on fighting for all Canadians. We made a large step towards forming a Conservative government," he says.

"In 2017, no one thought we could win the next election," Scheer says.

"The media establishment was predicting that Justin Trudeau would easily win two or three majority governments. He would be Prime Minister for as long as he wanted."

"The fact that anyone even considered the 2019 election winnable – is because of the incredible success of our entire party," Scheer says.

"While we didn’t get the result we all would have liked, we reduced the Trudeau government to a minority."

"We have improved the government’s response to the pandemic and have never backed down in our fight to keep our Parliament open during this crisis," Scheer says of the CPC team.

"The lie of the left is that the very people they claim they want to help, are hurt the most by their policies. They pretend to be motivated by compassion. But there is nothing compassionate about big government intervention," Scheer says, adding Liberal regulations kill jobs

"The Liberals are all candy before supper," Scheer says.

"Conservatives on the other hand believe in a balanced meal, we look at the whole picture. And we see the harm and the misery that the left’s policies cause."

"We fight for the men and women who don’t have well-connected friends in Ottawa. Who are too busy raising their families and working hard to attend the cocktail circuit," Scheer says.

"Nobody ever got shot trying to jump the wall into East Berlin or paddled a raft to get to Cuba," Scheer says

"Don’t take the left-wing media narrative as fact. Please check out smart, independent, objective organizations like the Post Millennial, or True North," Scheer says. "There are other places to get information. Let’s stop being the silent majority."

"After tonight, let us come together and concentrate on the things that unite us. We must work together and focus on the many things we share in common," Scheer says.

Dan Nowlan is explaining how the CPC point-based system works. Lisa Raitt is paying tribute to Diane Finley, who has announced she won't be running again.

Raitt/Nowlan don't offer an updated timeline on the results. Raitt says the results will be pulled "later."

It sounds like first-round ballot results will come at 10:30 p.m. ET

So, that obviously didn't happen. We've now been told we'll get a 15-minute warning from the party when they do have results.

Peter MacKay and his wife Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay wait for results (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

Another 100 ballots to count before they can produce any results. #cpcldr

OK, @CPC_HQ has given us the 15-minute warning for the 1st round of results. Stay tuned.

The 15-minute deadline has come and gone - but scrutineers have been released from the ballot counting room! So, progress!

Leslyn Lewis just won... Saskatchewan.

In Quebec - Lewis: 781 points, MacKay: 2,685; O'Toole: 3,532 and Sloan: 802.

In Ontario - Lewis: 2,557 points; MacKay: 4,056; O'Toole: 3,414; Sloan: 2,073.

BREAKING: After the first round of balloting — the national results are as follows: 

Lewis 20.49%; MacKay 33.52%; O'Toole 31.6%; Sloan 14.39%. #cpcldr

Sloan has been dropped from the ballot and we're headed to a 2nd round.

The national point totals are as follows: MacKay with 11,328 points; O'Toole has 10,681; Lewis comes in with 6,925 and Sloan had 4,864.

We're seeing the success of organized membership drives by the likes of the Campaign for Life Coalition - the Lewis and Sloan campaigns collectively represent a very strong 34.88% of the national vote after the 1st round.

The Campaign for Life alone recruited 26,000 members - and suggested they pick only Sloan or Lewis. campaignlifecoalition.com/hot-news/id/524

Two more rounds of ballots to go but it looks like it's O'Toole's to lose at this point given his lopsided second ballot support from Lewis and Sloan supporters.

Second ballot results: Lewis - 30%; MacKay - 34.78%; O’Toole - 35.22%

BREAKING | Erin O'Toole has been elected the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Final round of balloting: MacKay - 42.98%; O’Toole - 57.02%.

MacKay received 14,528 points after the third and final round; O'Toole won it with 19,271 points.

"I want to start by thanking my friends, Leslyn Lewis, Derek Sloan and of course the honourable Peter MacKay," O'Toole says.

"We have built a passionate team of patriotic Canadians and your hard work led to this victory," O'Toole says of his team. He thanks his Quebec organizers in particular (O'Toole outperformed, big time, in that province.)

"Justin Trudeau and his team are failing our great country," O'Toole says, while adding it's not good enough to just attack the Liberals. Conservatives must present their own "positive Conservative vision."

"The Conservative Party will be ready for the next election, and we will win the next election," O'Toole says.

"To the Canadians I'm meeting for the first time. Good morning. I'm Erin O'Toole. I want you to know I'm here to fight for you and your family."

"With our kids at home, COVID has made us appreciate teachers more than ever before," O'Toole says. He says his mother, a teacher, died when he was 9. "I know she is here right now because I can see her in my daughter, who shares her name."

O'Toole says his time in the armed forces "deepened his love for Canada," mentioning his served as a technical navigator in the CAF. He's been married to his wife, Rebecca, for 20 years.

"I love this country and I'm worried about the course that we're on," O'Toole says. "Our country is currently facing its most serious economic challenges since the Great Depression."

"Our country is more divided than it ever has been in my lifetime," O'Toole says. "Justin Trudeau, Bill Morneau and the Liberals showed once again, even amidst a national crisis, they were still interested in looking after their friends," he says, referencing the WE scandal.

"The world still needs more Canada it just needs less Justin Trudeau," O'Toole says.

"Maybe you have voted for a different party your whole life or you've never voted at all," O'Toole says. "It is time for many Liberal and NDP voters to socially distance themselves from those out-of-touch parties."

"Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh claim to stand up for working families but they fail them, time and time again," O'Toole says, while adding the Bloc is "behind the times."

"It's time for Quebec to have a seat at the decision-making table."

"My fellow Canadians my name is Erin O'Toole I believe in this country and I'm running to serve you as prime minister," he says. "Thank you and good night."