A member of parliament who resigned from the Conservative caucus says Pierre Poilievre’s office sent a text message to party members in Quebec asking them to encourage him to resign. Alain Rayes, who backed former Quebec premier Jean Charest in the Conservative leadership race, quit Tuesday to sit as an Independent, saying the party’s course under Poilievre is incompatible with its “political ideals, his values and beliefs”. The text message seen by The Canadian Press says Rayes has decided not to fight inflation with Poilievre’s team and encourages recipients to call the MP’s office and tell him to resign. Rayes, who represents the riding of Richmond-Arthabaska east of Montreal, says he has no plans to resign and that the text message campaign is an attempt to intimidate other Conservative MPs. When asked about the prominent lawmaker’s departure on Tuesday, Poilievre sent a similar message about Rayes deciding not to fight inflation, which he blames on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Poilievre’s office, as well as the office of his Quebec lieutenant, Pierre-Paul Hus, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 14, 2022.
