Scheer refused call to oust Bernier

OTTAWA • A Conservative MP says he wanted Andrew Scheer to kick the openly defiant Maxime Bernier out of the caucus last month, but the Tory leader refused, insisting his outspoken former leadership rival has an important role within the party.

The MP, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity, said he approached Scheer during the June 20 caucus meeting for permission to ask caucus members to vote to have Bernier removed.

“I went to Andrew directly and said … ‘Max lied to us, and I don’t think he should remain in caucus,’” the MP said. But Scheer asked him to stand down, saying he would “keep Max where he is.”

Emotions were running high in the Conservative caucus room after Bernier, who represents the Quebec riding of Beauce, posted a controversial chapter of his forthcoming book on his website — a book he had already agreed to postpone, “for the sake of maintaining harmony in our party.”

The chapter accuses Scheer of enlisting “fake Conservatives” for the sole purpose of defeating Bernier, who remains a staunch advocate of ending the supply management system for milk, eggs and poultry — a program popular with dairy farmers in Quebec.

In April, Bernier promised to shelve the book’s publication indefinitely, but the offending chapter resurfaced the following month.

The reappearance on Bernier’s website triggered a fresh wave of Conservative caucus outrage, culminating

(BERNIER) DOES REPRESENT VIEWS THAT MANY CONSERVATIVES HAVE.

in the MP telling Scheer he wanted to take the microphone during the caucus meeting and ask his colleagues to vote to have Bernier removed.

Had Scheer allowed that to happen, it would have opened a rift within the ranks of the Conservative party, said Tim Powers, a Tory strategist and vice-chair of Ottawa-based government relations firm Summa Strategies.

Bernier was stripped of his role in the party’s shadow cabinet as innovation critic, but was allowed to remain in caucus. He did not acknowledge requests for comment.

“Scheer knows well enough: if you start to become the architect of rift creation in the Conservative party, you may as well kiss any hopes of winning an election away,” said Powers.

“Yes, (Bernier) can perhaps be a source of irritation to some of his peers, but equally he does represent views that many conservatives have.”