Quebec MP leaves Tories as Poilievre unveils new leadership team

Photo: The Canadian Press

Conservative MP and leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre walks with his caucus colleague Andrew Scheer, a former leader of the party, as they arrive for a press conference outside the Bank of Canada in Ottawa, on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Poilievre is tapping Scheer to serve as his chief lieutenant in the House of Commons, as the newly minted Conservative leader prepares his party for next week's return of Parliament. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

UPDATE 2:35 p.m.

Pierre Poilievre faced one of his first tests as federal Conservative leader on Tuesday as a prominent member of Parliament from Quebec announced he was leaving the Tories to sit as an Independent because he disagreed with the party’s new direction.

Describing himself as a “proud Progressive Conservative,” Richmond-Arthabaska MP Alain Rayes said he respected the choice made by Conservative party members on Saturday in which Poilievre scored a resounding first-ballot victory to become leader.

"However, some of my political ideals, values and convictions are not compatible with the new path undertaken by our political formation,” Rayes said in a statement posted to social media.

The announcement came shortly after Poilievre unveiled his leadership team inside and outside the House of Commons as he continued to shape the party to his liking ahead of next week’s return of Parliament.

The new, nine-member team includes Pierre Paul-Hus as the Conservatives’ new lieutenant in Quebec — a role previously filled by Rayes on two separate occasions, including in the lead-up to this year’s leadership race.

Rayes stepped down from the role in February to help former Quebec premier Jean Charest’s leadership campaign, during which Rayes publicly criticized Poilievre, saying he was sowing division within the party and among Canadians writ large.

Charest ended up placing a distant second in Saturday’s leadership vote.

Poilievre didn’t hold back when asked about Rayes’s departure during a brief news conference in which the new Conservative leader accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of not doing enough to help Canadians struggling with record inflation rates.

“He’s decided not to fight Justin Trudeau’s inflation,” Poilievre said in French.

“We are working to fight the inflationary deficits and taxes imposed by Justin Trudeau. The citizens in Mr. Rayes’s riding agree: They voted for me in the leadership race. And I believe that all Conservatives that remain in the caucus agree.”

Poilievre on Monday met with the party's Quebec MPs, the majority of whom had backed Charest, before attending his first national caucus meeting. Rayes was not in attendance.

Later that evening, Poilievre tried reaching Rayes by phone but he was not available to answer, according to a spokesperson from Rayes's office.

Fifty-three per cent of the 663 leadership ballots cast by Conservative members in Richmond-Arthabaska were for Poilievre, according to the party’s official results, as compared to 42 per cent for Charest.

ORIGINAL 10:30 a.m.

Pierre Poilievre is tapping one of his predecessors to serve as his chief lieutenant in the House of Commons, as the newly minted Conservative leader prepares his party for next week's return of Parliament.

Former party leader Andrew Scheer will serve as Opposition leader in the House of Commons, one of nine key appointments announced today as Poilievre unveiled his new leadership team.

Scheer took over as Conservative leader from former prime minister Stephen Harper in 2017, but resigned two years later after the party came in second during the 2019 federal election.

Aside from Scheer, Poilievre's leadership team is headlined by longtime Conservative MP Tim Uppal and first-term counterpart Melissa Lantsman, who will serve as deputy leaders.

Other notable additions include Kerry-Lynne Findlay as party whip and Pierre Paul-Hus, who takes over as Quebec lieutenant.

Poilievre, who scored a resounding first-ballot victory to become Tory leader on the weekend, announced the new team one week before the House of Commons is scheduled to return to its normal sittings following the summer break.

My inflation-busting Leadership Team.

First job: stop Trudeau’s tax hikes and end #JustinFlation so workers and seniors can thrive. pic.twitter.com/e0IyRh8JHe

— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) September 13, 2022