Canada PoliticsTory MPP Randy Hillier responds to being booted from critic role
Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Tim Hudak has booted yet another MPP to the outside of his inner circle.
On Thursday evening, Hudak stripped Randy Hillier of his labour critic role for reportedly breaking caucus confidentiality.
According to a report by the Toronto Sun, Hudak was "irked" by a Toronto Star story quoting a Hillier email warning caucus mates of a construction company indicating that it would "make large financial contributions to the party if they supported legislation the company was pushing."
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In response to the demotion, Hillier released this statement on Friday morning:
It was with much disappointment that I was informed yesterday that I had been removed from my role as Ontario PC Labour Critic. It is a role that I have held since 2009 when Tim Hudak took over as Leader of our Party.
For years I have fought tirelessly against what I saw as wrongdoings and my constituents have always known that they could trust me to stand up for them regardless of the consequences.
Yesterday I was forced to face those consequences personally.
Three months ago I sent a private email to my Caucus colleagues sharing my concerns over a proposed piece of Legislation. Recently that correspondence was the basis of multiple news stories after it was leaked to the press.
In a call yesterday, Tim Hudak demanded that I both apologize for allegedly breaking Caucus confidentiality and to publicly retract the comments I had made in the aforementioned email.
I have never broken Caucus confidentiality and I have no doubt that any one of the reporters I spoke to regarding the recent news stories can corroborate just that.
I made it clear to Tim that under no circumstances would I retract the comments and concerns that I raised three months ago and that I still stand by to this day.
While I remain disappointed that this was the ultimatum I was forced to choose between, I would rather accept this demotion than sacrifice the integrity that my constituents have always expected from me.
Hillier's dismissal is more evidence that the Ontario PCs are a party in disarray.
It comes just days after Hudak removed MPP Peter Shurman as the party's finance critic after he refused to repay a $21,000 for claiming a housing allowance for a residence outside of his riding.
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It also comes amid a month of some significant infighting.
Since the byelections in August -- that didn't go all that well for Hudak -- some Tory members and even MPPs have been publicly calling for a review of Hudak's leadership at a policy convention later this month.
Interestingly, Hillier was one of those MPPs calling for a review.
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In an email exchange with Hillier's office, a spokesperson told Yahoo! Canada News that Hillier "fully intends to remain in the PC Caucus."
(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)
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