Candidates are starting to jockey for position in the race to replace Stephen Harper as leader of the federal Conservatives.

Foothills Member of Parliament John Barlow has decided to throw his support behind Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer.

Barlow says Scheer is going to be a really strong voice for the west.

"I wanted somebody running who has his roots in Western Canada and Andrew has that, but (he's) also a strong Conservative," Barlow says. He's a young guy who has a really positive message and I think that's what we really learned last fall is we have to have someone at our helm who has a young, vibrant new vision that is going to change the tone."

He says Scheer won't necessarily change policies and the foundation of what the Conservative movement is, but be a different face for that.

"We have other candidates that are being divisive, bringing up issues that we shouldn't be addressing, I think we should have learned that lesson last fall," Barlow says.

Barlow says Scheer knows the value and importance of the energy sector and agriculture and he believes he can bring the party together.

Scheer was once the Speaker of the House and Barlow says that's a difficult job with, at that time, 308 Members of Parliament to deal with, and \Scheer was able to bring people together and work with all parties and find consensus.

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