WATCH: Bernier’s behaviour divides Conservative party.
By Katie Dangerfield
MP Maxime Bernier says he is resigning from the Conservative Party.
On Thursday, the Conservative MP from Quebec, made the announcement in Ottawa amid controversy surrounding his tweets over the Liberal government’s diversity and immigration policies.
READ MORE: Maxime Bernier clarifies that he’s all for diversity in Canada – just not ‘more diversity’
Bernier, who narrowly lost the Tory leadership to rival Andrew Scheer, says he feels the party has abandoned its true ideals by refusing to end corporate subsidies or abolish the supply management system for poultry and dairy products.
“Andrew Scheer is following the Trudeau Liberals,” Bernier said. “They are so afraid of criticism by the left and the media they prefer to let down millions of supports around the country.”
The Conservative caucus is meeting in Halifax at 2 p.m. ET, and Bernier will not be present. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is holding a press conference at 1:30 p.m. in Halifax.
The Conservative convention is the first policy meeting since Andrew Scheer was elected chief last year. The three-day event comes on the heels of controversy surrounding a series of tweets Bernier posted last week.
The failed Conservative leadership candidate’s tweets argued that more diversity and “having people live among us who reject basic Western values” will lead to “cultural balkanization.” He also tweeted that “more diversity” in Canada will “destroy what makes us a great country.”
Michelle Rempel, the immigration critic for the Conservatives, suggested Bernier’s comments were a “seemingly premeditated tweet thread for fundraising purposes.”
“Maxime Bernier holds no official role in caucus and does not speak for the Conservative Party of Canada on any issue,” Scheer’s statement said. “Personally, I disagree with politicians on the left and the right when they use identity politics to divide Canadians. I will not engage in this type of politics.”
© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Comments
Post a Comment