Celina Caesar-Chavannes quits Liberal caucus

Thestar.com
March 21, 2019
Alex Ballingall

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, the MP for Whitby who openly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the SNC-Lavalin controversy, is leaving the Liberal fold to sit as an independent in the House of Commons.

Trudeau told reporters before question period that the rookie MP notified his office Wednesday that she is leaving the Liberal caucus.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, who was then the parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development, during a Black History Month reception at the Museum of History in Gatineau on Feb. 12, 2018. Trudeau said Wednesday that Caesar-Chavannes had left the Liberal caucus to sit as an independent MP.

“I have just been notified by my office that Celina Caesar-Chavannes has decided to sit as an independent. I want to thank her for her service to the Liberal Party and to her constituents, and wish her the best in her continued service to constituents,” Trudeau said.

Caesar-Chavannes did not immediately respond to an interview request on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, shortly after the prime minister gave his fullest response to allegations of political interference in a criminal case against SNC-Lavalin, Caesar-Chavannes challenged his leadership style in a social media post. Writing on Twitter, she quoted Trudeau, who had said that “central to my leadership is fostering an environment where my ministers, caucus and staff feel comfortable coming to me when they have concerns.”

Caesar-Chavannes then wrote, “I did come to you recently. Twice. Remember your reactions?”

She did not respond to several requests for an interview from the Star. The next day, she told the Globe and Mail that Trudeau reacted angrily when she told him on Feb. 12--the day Jody Wilson-Raybould quit the Liberal cabinet--that she would not seek reelection in the general election this fall.

Caesar-Chavannes waited until March 2 to announce that she will leave politics at the end of this parliamentary term.

The departing Liberal backbencher has taken to social media repeatedly to make statements supporting Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott--the two MPs who quit Trudeau’s cabinet as his government was rocked by allegations that he and his top officials pressured the former attorney general and justice minister to offer SNC-Lavalin a settlement deal instead of pursuing fraud and bribery charges against the global, Montreal-based engineering and construction giant.

On Feb. 11, Caesar-Chavannes wrote on Twitter that former attorney general Wilson-Raybould--who was shuffled out of the job in January before resigning from cabinet--is “ fierce, smart and unapologetic.” She added, “When women speak up and out, they are always going to be labelled. Go ahead. Label away. We are not going anywhere. #IAmWithHer”

Weeks later, when Philpott resigned over “serious concerns” about the SNC-Lavalin controversy, Caesar-Chavannes echoed her support for Wilson-Raybould.

“When you add women, please do not expect the status quo,” she wrote on Twitter. “Expect us to make correct decisions, stand for what is right and exit when values are compromised. Thank you @janephilpott for articulating this beautifully.”

Unlike Caesar-Chavannes, both Philpott and Wilson-Raybould are still Liberal MPs and are already nominated to run for the party again in the federal election this fall.

Speaking to reporters before meeting with his caucus Wednesday morning, Trudeau said: “They’ve both indicated that they continue to believe in the Liberal Party and want to stand for us in the election in the fall. I look forward to continuing to work together.”