Local and national political figures continue to comment on the news that local MP Derek Sloan was removed from the Conservative caucus Wednesday. CLICK HERE FOR OUR ORIGINAL STORY
Sloan was voted out over what Leader Erin O’Toole calls a number of issues and distractions.
Tyendinaga Township Reeve and Hastings County Warden Rick Phillips needs to work with Sloan on municipal and county issues. He commented to Quinte News Thursday morning.
“We expressed our disappointment several months ago with some of his views. Mr Sloan is in control of his own destiny and own actions. I believe the Conservative Party did the right thing.”
Aline Lamere is the Liberal Riding President for Hastings-Lennox and Addington.
Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk is federally represented by two MPs, Liberal Neil Ellis (Bay of Quinte), and Independent (Hastings-Lennox & Addington) Sloan.
“When you have Members of Parliament who represent different parties in the national parliament, when you have local issues that need national attention, or are looking for consideration from the government, it is a lot easier for them to advocate for you. An Independent Member of Parliament is a lot less effective under the party system in Ottawa.”
Maxime Bernier is the Leader of the People’s Party of Canada, and is also a former Conservative Party of Canada Leadership contestant. He narrowly lost to former leader Andrew Scheer. Bernier then left CPC over policy differences. He spoke to Quinte News and we asked him if he had contacted Sloan to join the PPC.
“What I am telling him and what I am telling everybody that shares his values, is that our doors are open to Derek and to everybody who wants to fight for what we believe.”
Sloan finished fourth in the 2020 Conservative Leadership race, garnering just over 14 percent of the first place votes.
