Conservative leadership race part 1 French as a requirement?

One of the major current issues in Canadian politics is the race for the next leader of the Conservative Party. There are fourteen contestants for leader. In alphabetical order by first name they are:
Former MP Andrew Saxton, Vancouver British Columbia
MP Andrew Scheer, Regina Saskatchewan
MP Brad Trost, Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Former MP Chris Alexander, Suburban Toronto Ontario
MP Deepak Obhrai, Calgary Alberta
MP Erin O'Toole, Oshawa Ontario
MP Kellie Leitch,  Clearview Ontario (rural)
Kevin O'Leary, Boston Massachusetts/ Toronto Ontario
MP Lisa Raitt, Burlington Ontario
MP Maxime Bernier, Beauce Quebec (rural)
MP Michael Chong, Elora Ontario (rural)
Former MP Pierre Lemieux, Casselman Ontario (rural)
MP Stephen Blaney, Lévis Quebec
Rick Peterson, Vancouver British Columbia

Though they can be divided in many ways today we will look at their level of bilingualism.
Though some may decry the importance of French at the national level it is a electoral fact that one quarter of ridings are Francophone majority. Governments can be formed without Quebec or francophone New Brunswick, Manitoba and Ontario, but the task is monumentally harder.

All fourteen candidates speak English. As for French, five; Bernier, Blaney, Alexander, Lemieux and Peterson, speak at fluent levels. Four: Chong, Scheer, Saxton and O'Toole speak at a junior high level.
And O'Leary, Obhrai, Leitch, Raitt and Trost have not demonstrated proficiency.

Does it matter?

It depends on who you ask.

Obviously a persons instinct, honesty, compassion, or strength of character are not defined by the number of languages known. Many members of parliament are not bilingual. Translations are provided via earpiece in Parliament so members do not miss the points of a debate. In the past unilingual Prime Ministers have led the country and we're still here.

There are parts of language that are lost in translation of course; idioms, subtext, jokes. And it goes without saying that the leader of the Conservative party will have to speak French without the benefit of a translator. At the 2019 French debate for instance. Thousands of voters will watch it. And if the conservative leader lacks confidence due to limitations in the language they will be defensive the entire night. Justin Trudeau has demonstrated the ability to hear a question in one language and respond immediately in the other. He will be a formidable opponent.

There is another reason, Quebec and French are a core part of what separates Canada from the United States. There are few differences in the average day between two people in Seattle or Vancouver; rural  Saskatchewan or rural North Dakota; Hamilton or Buffalo; New Brunswick and Maine. But there is a cultural difference between Quebec and the states to the south.

In short, the ability to fluently speak French is an electoral asset and Conservative voters concerned with winning should recognize it.