Amanda Simard, Rookie Legislator, Leaves Conservative Caucus Following Francophone Decisions

TORONTO – A Progressive Conservative legislator who publicly denounced Ontario's decision to scrap the independent office of the French Language Services Commissioner and a proposed French-language university left the Conservative caucus.

In a letter to the President of the Legislative Assembly, Amanda Simard, states that her decision takes effect immediately and that she will remain independent.

"I'm no longer a member of the Progressive Conservative caucus," writes Simard in his short letter sent Thursday. "I will continue to serve in the Ontario Legislature as an Independent."

The junior legislator, who represents a predominantly Franco-Ontarian constituency, broke the ranks of Prime Minister Doug Ford's government in two controversial decisions affecting approximately 600,000 Francophones in the province.

Simard said on Wednesday that she was not satisfied with the announcement made by the government last week to create a commissioner position within the provincial ombudsman's office, to create a Ministry of Francophone Affairs and to engage a senior advisor on Francophone Affairs at the Prime Minister's Office.

She said the "partial backtracking" was not enough.

Ford said the commissioner and university measures announced in the fall economic statement were needed to reduce the province 's deficit, although it did not go unnoticed. not say how much we would save.

Simard said Wednesday that the maneuvers would "not contribute significantly" to the tightening of the provincial belt.

The prime minister said he listened to concerns about the changes and has already offered concessions.

Simard, who represents the riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell in eastern Ontario, was a municipal councilor in the Russell community before joining the list of curators led by Patrick Brown. She holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa and previously worked on Parliament Hill as a Policy Advisor.