MPP ‘pushed limits’ fighting French cuts
Simard hasn’t decided whether to leave PCs over language services
Maverick Progressive Conservative MPP Amanda Simard is not backing down.
“I’m asking the premier and the government to reverse their decisions,” she said on her first day back at Queen’s Park after breaking ranks over cuts to French-language services.
But Simard has not yet decided whether she will defect to another party or sit as an independent in protest.
“Right now, I am doing what I was elected to do, which is representing my constituents,” she told reporters outside the legislative dining room, as her PC colleagues attended a caucus meeting.
“So I had to say something on two measures that I did not agree with,” she said, referring to the scrapping of an independent French-language watchdog and the cancellation of a new francophone university.
Simard conceded that she “pushed the limits” in making her disagreement with Premier Doug Ford so public.
“I feel that when decisions are being made about francophone issues — and I have a riding that is 70 per cent francophone — that I should be consulted because I am the only FrancoOntarian in the caucus,” she said.
“So, of course, I’ve been pretty vocal ... that I didn’t know about those two decisions before the fall economic statement.”
Simard said while she supports the government’s plan “in general ... it’s just those two measures I don’t agree with.”
The rookie MPP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell — which stretches to the Quebec border — initially posted her protest on Facebook, and on Sunday she held a public meeting and appeared on a popular Quebec talk show.
At the meeting with about 300 constituents, “people were very upset and they were concerned, so I am very happy that I listened to them. And I am bringing their message to Queen’s Park this week and so we’re really going to try to get this done this week.”
Asked if she’s worried about repercussions for speaking out, Simard said: “Right now, I don’t think that I should worry about that when I’m just trying to do my job.”
She remains parliamentary assistant to Francophone Affairs Minister Caroline Mulroney. Government House Leader Todd Smith said he chatted with Simard after Tuesday’s question period and she is “absolutely” welcome to remain in the Tory caucus. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she will be watching to see if Simard supports an NDP motion Wednesday on the reinstatement of plans to build the university, as well as reinstate the French-language commissioner.
“I give her a lot of respect for standing up for the francophone community. I invite her to vote with us,” Horwath said.