Senator Denise Batters considers her expulsion from the Conservative caucus “ironic” as she simply asked the leader “to adhere to the principles and policies” that had been endorsed by members of the Conservative Party of Canada.
“I am and always will be a conservative,” the senator wrote in a statement sent to media on Wednesday.
Mme Batters was kicked out on Tuesday after questioning Erin O’Toole’s leadership in a video posted to Twitter. She accused him of having betrayed conservative principles by leading a progressive election campaign like the Liberals of Justin Trudeau, when he had instead presented himself as a “real blue” during the leadership race.
The senator close to the former party leader Andrew Scheer defends his gesture. “I launched a petition as any member of the Conservative Party can do under the constitution of our party,” she defended. She later argued that members have the right to vote on the leadership of their party faster than expected after an election defeat. His petition had collected 3,700 names by the end of the day on Wednesday.
“Apparently, Mr. O’Toole cannot tolerate criticism,” she adds. She claims to have approached him directly with her complaints, but that he neither responded nor acted to correct the situation.
The Conservative leader defended his gesture in a press scrum on Wednesday. “We have a unity crisis now, we have an inflation crisis now, there are questions, uncertainties about the pandemic,” he listed. We must be ready to rule. This was not the case with Mme Batters and that’s why I made this decision last night. ”
Still, the exit of the senator eclipses her message less than a week before the opening of the 44e legislature. “What is urgent is to return to Parliament to ask questions,” responded Quebec MP Pierre Paul-Hus. The inflation rate is at 4.7% today, what do we think of that? This is important. ”
“This is not the time for partisan politics,” exclaimed MP Brad Vis, clearly annoyed by the journalists’ questions. Right now, we have to support British Columbia and make sure people are safe. ”
His riding is grappling with unprecedented flooding. Municipalities have been cut off from the rest of the province due to landslides.
Washing dirty laundry with the family
M’s mistakeme Batters has been spreading his criticism in the public square instead of sharing it in caucus, according to Ontario MP Michelle Ferreri. “It’s not the right way to do it,” she said.
In her statement, she recalls without naming him that Conservative Senator Michael MacDonald even called for the leader’s resignation a few weeks ago, without being expelled. “Why two weights, two measures? She asks.
He sent a letter in October to MPs and senators in the Conservative caucus to criticize Erin O’Toole’s progressive approach during the last election campaign. The letter was subsequently leaked in several media.
Senator Batters challenges the Conservative leader. “If Mr. O’Toole is sure that our party members support the new direction he is taking, he should not be afraid to face them in a hasty vote of confidence,” she said. The fact that he is fighting this with threats and intimidation in caucus speaks volumes. ”
Appointed to the Senate by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Denise Batters supported Peter MacKay in the last Conservative leadership race in 2020. Behind the scenes, it is rumored that she is not a popular caucus member because of his partisan aggressiveness.
His petition would be the first salvo in an orchestrated campaign to push Erin O’Toole out, according to what the English-speaking network Global News had reported the day before on the strength of anonymous conservative sources.
Press was unable to confirm reports that a gout ordeal awaits the Tory leader.