Maxime Bernier is no longer part of Conservative Party of Canada leader Andrew Scheer’s shadow cabinet.
A senior Conservative official told Global News that Bernier was removed from the shadow cabinet for breaking a promise to Tory leader Andrew Scheer and to the caucus that he would not promote or publish his book until he retired from politics.
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On June 5, Bernier publicly released a chapter of his new book on supply management, in which he accuses Scheer of winning the party’s leadership due to the support of “fake Conservatives” who were only interested in tabling Bernier’s candidacy because of his opposition to supply management in the dairy sector.
The book’s publishing date has been indefinitely postponed.
The official told Global News correspondent David Akin that in Scheer’s eyes, this violated the agreement he previously made.
“I have removed Maxime Bernier from the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, effective immediately,” Scheer said in a statement late Tuesday evening.
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“The Shadow Minister for Science, Matt Jeneroux, will assume the additional role of Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development on an interim basis.”
According to the statement, Matt Jeneroux will take on the additional role of Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development in the meantime – in addition to his duties as Shadow Minister for Science,.
No explanation was given for the abrupt removal.
Bernier, the member of parliament for Beauce, has ruffled a few feathers in recent days for attacking the Canadian supply management system that protects from external markets – breaking ranks with the CPC as the group offered support to Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberals after a public disagreement with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In addition, Bernier was also under fire for participating in a heated Twitter debate with Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes over racism in Canada.
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