A Quebec senator says Pierre Poiliev’s first week as Conservative leader has left him “comfortable” with his decision to leave the party. Senator Jean-Guy Dagenais had supported former Quebec premier Jean Charest in the recent leadership race and has not been part of the Conservative senators’ caucus since 2019. Dagenais says he disagreed with Poilievre’s support for last winter’s truck rally in Ottawa and his proposal to fire the governor of the Bank of Canada. The senator says that’s why he decided to leave the party over the weekend after Poilievre’s landslide victory, in which he found broad support in Quebec. Dagenais says watching Poilievre’s first press conference with reporters this week confirmed his decision to leave, comparing the performance to that of former US President Donald Trump. He also calls it “unacceptable” that the Conservative party sent a text message to members of now-independent MP Alain Rayes, who also left the party after Poilievre’s victory. The party has since apologized for sending the message, which encouraged members to call for Rayes to step down. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 16, 2022.
