▁led ▁the ▁party ▁since ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁used ▁a ▁leadership ▁convention ▁to ▁choose ▁a ▁leader . ▁Pre vious ▁leaders ▁had ▁been ▁chosen ▁by ▁the ▁party ' s ▁c au cus , ▁the ▁previous ▁leader , ▁or ▁by ▁the ▁Governor ▁General ▁of ▁Canada ▁design ating ▁an ▁individual ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁government ▁after ▁his ▁prede cess or ' s ▁death ▁or ▁res ignation . ▁ ▁Background ▁Me igh en ▁had ▁succeeded ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁B orden ▁as ▁prime ▁minister ▁and ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Union ists , ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of ▁Conserv atives ▁and ▁pro - cons cription ▁Liberal - Union ists ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁for ge ▁the ▁al liance ▁into ▁a ▁permanent ▁party ▁called ▁the ▁National ▁Liberal ▁and ▁Conserv ative ▁Party . ▁Despite ▁his ▁efforts , ▁most ▁Liberal ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁the ▁B orden ▁government ▁either ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada ▁or ▁joined ▁the ▁new ▁Progress ive ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁Me igh en ' s ▁party ▁was ▁defeated ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁federal ▁election ▁by ▁the ▁Liber als ▁under ▁their ▁new ▁leader ▁William ▁Lyon ▁Mack en zie ▁King . ▁At ▁a ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁c au cus ▁meeting ▁that ▁re - aff ir med ▁Me igh en ' s ▁leadership , ▁the ▁party ▁voted ▁to ▁change ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁Liberal - Con serv ative ▁Party ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁known ▁by ▁under ▁Sir ▁John ▁A