(Ottawa) MP Alain Rayes slams the door of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC). He will now sit as an independent member for Richmond-Arthabaska in the House of Commons after being elected under the Conservative banner for the first time in 2015.
Posted at 1:13 p.m.
Updated at 1:22 p.m.
“I no longer find myself within my own political formation in which I have invested myself for seven years now”, affirmed in a solemn tone Alain Rayes, in a video addressed to his constituents which he published on the social networks.
“There are issues, there are values, there are convictions on which, for me, I cannot compromise,” added Mr. Rayes, who has set his sights on the former Prime Minister of Quebec Jean Charest during the leadership race.
Among these issues, he noted respect for law and order, the protection of Canadian institutions, the fight against climate change and the sound management of public finances, among other things.
Mr. Rayes, who served as political lieutenant in Quebec to former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and took over that role under Erin O’Toole after the last federal election, said in an interview with The Press have “no intention” of joining Justin Trudeau’s Liberals or participating in the creation of another party.
The new leader of the Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, therefore loses a deputy, despite the decisive victory he won on Saturday evening. This departure constitutes a first political stone in the shoes of the new leader, who was acclaimed at the head of the party by a large majority of some 420,000 members who voted. This earned him 68% of the points awarded under the rules of the leadership race, against only 16% to Jean Charest. Mr. Poilievre won the majority of support in 330 of the 338 ridings, including the one Mr. Rayes represents.
Poilievre reacts
” He [M. Rayes] decided not to fight Justin Trudeau’s inflation,” Poilievre said Tuesday afternoon at a conference he called to respond to Justin Trudeau’s moves to help less well-off Canadians. to cope with the rising cost of living.
We work to fight the deficits and inflationary taxes imposed by Justin Trudeau. Citizens of Alain Rayes County agree. They voted for me in the leadership race. And I think all the conservatives who are left are of the same opinion.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the CCP
“We have to counter Justin Trudeau’s inflation because Canadians can no longer pay the bills,” reiterated the new leader.
Mr. Poilievre stretched out a pole to the members of Quebec, who lined up mainly in the camp of Jean Charest during the race, by making a surprise visit to the meeting of the caucus of Quebec, Monday, before the national caucus.
This visit was hailed as a sincere desire by the Conservative leader to rally the troops. However, Alain Rayes was not present at the Quebec caucus meeting or at the national caucus meeting.
Mr Rayes said he was not quitting the party in anger. “I am serene and zen with my decision”, which is “maturely considered”.
Incompatible principles
In interview with The Press, Tuesday, Mr. Rayes returned to the reasons that fueled his thinking. Thus, Mr. Rayes specified that the support given by Pierre Poilievre to the convoy of truckers last winter is incompatible with the principles of respect for law and order.
He also expressed concern about the fallout from Mr. Poilievre’s attacks on the Bank of Canada and Governor Tiff Macklem. According to him, this has the effect of weakening Canadian institutions.
“Canadian institutions are essential to the proper functioning of our democracy. […] I am also extremely concerned about the alignment that the Conservative Party will take on climate change. I don’t have the feeling that we’re going in the right direction,” he said.
Another pro-Charest Quebec MP, Joël Godin, seems to have watered down his wine. In August, he said that a victory for Pierre Poilievre would certainly provoke reflection on his side.
In an interview on 98.5 FM on Sunday, he said he was “very comfortable” with the idea of working with the new chef, whom he congratulated on his “impressive victory”. Outside the country, Tuesday, the elected Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier did not react to the defection of his colleague Rayes.
With Melanie Marquis, The Press