National

Batters defends petition, lashes out at O'Toole

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Nov, 2021 11:41 AM

OTTAWA - Sen. Denise Batters is taking off the gloves in her fight with Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole.

O'Toole announced late Tuesday that the Saskatchewan senator was being expelled from the Conservative caucus after she launched a petition calling for a referendum on his leadership within six months.

A leadership review is currently scheduled for the party's national convention in 2023, though MPs did vote in October to give themselves the power to potentially oust him earlier.

Batters in a statement this morning says she is and will always be a Conservative, and says members deserve to have a say on the leadership and direction of the party after an election loss on Sept. 20.

She goes on to question why she is being singled out. Another Conservative senator, Michael MacDonald, urged Tories ahead of the October vote to give themselves the power to hold an early leadership review.

And Batters says if O'Toole is truly confident in the direction that he is taking the party, then he should have no fears about an expedited leadership review.

Batters' expulsion comes as MPs descended on Ottawa Wednesday to meet as a national caucus behind closed doors.

O'Toole himself entered the meeting flanked by his leadership team, and told reporters that over the previous two caucus meetings his members have "united on our way forward as a team."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Mask mandate returns in British Columbia

Henry says about 75 per cent of B.C. residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but that number needs to be higher as the Delta variant drives up case counts, putting those who are unvaccinated at greater risk of contracting the virus.

Mask mandate returns in British Columbia

Trudeau mum on U.S. Afghan deadline ahead of G7

Trudeau joined a special virtual meeting of the G7 leaders Tuesday on the crisis in Afghanistan and President Joe Biden is expected to face calls from some fellow leaders to extend the U.S. military commitment to the country beyond his Aug. 31 deadline.

Trudeau mum on U.S. Afghan deadline ahead of G7

COVID-19 plan unveiled for B.C. schools, students grade 4 to 12 required to wear masks in school when classes return in September

Students grade 4 to 12, staff, teachers, visitors and administers will be required to wear masks in school when classes return in September in BC. Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside says it will be full, in person learning. The mask mandate is for indoor spaces, like last school year. Extra curriculars will be back.

COVID-19 plan unveiled for B.C. schools, students grade 4 to 12 required to wear masks in school when classes return in September

Number of active wildfires in B.C. remains at 250

Fire information officer Taylor Colman says crews are seeing between three and five fires start each day compared with about 40 in July. She says most of the wildfires of note — including White Rock Lake at about 810 square kilometres and Lytton Creek at 845 square kilometres — have not seen much growth.

Number of active wildfires in B.C. remains at 250

Wildlife another B.C. wildfire casualty: expert

Scientists are most worried about old-growth forests in fire areas, which are home to the Canada lynx, the marten, fishers, caribou and northern goshawk, she said.

Wildlife another B.C. wildfire casualty: expert

Mountie in Kelowna, B.C., charged with assault

The prosecution service says in a statement that Const. Lacey Browning faces one count of assault after a wellness check in Kelowna on Jan. 20, 2020. A civil lawsuit was settled this year between Browning and Mona Wang, who was a nursing student at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus.