TORONTO -- Here is a look at Amanda Simard, who left the Progressive Conservative caucus on Thursday after speaking out against Ontario Premier Doug Ford's decision to eliminate the independent office of the French-language services commissioner and a planned French-language university.
Hometown:
The community of Embrun, in Russell, Ont.
Riding:
The mostly-Francophone Glengarry-Prescott-Russell
First elected:
2018
Political career:
Simard served as a city councillor in the community of Russell before joining the Tory roster under then-leader Patrick Brown. She holds a law degree from the University of Ottawa and previously worked on Parliament Hill as a policy adviser. On Thursday, she wrote a short letter to the Speaker of the legislature saying she was leaving the Tory caucus and would sit as an independent.
Why she's leaving caucus:
Simard has been vocal in her opposition to the changes to French-language services and has criticized what she called the government's "partial backtracking" on the issues after Ford announced late last week that he would create a commissioner position within the office of the provincial ombudsman, establish a Ministry of Francophone Affairs and hire a senior policy adviser on francophone affairs in the premier's office.
Quote:
"The government's proposals since this initial announcement amount to one step forward but three steps back. If we make this kind of concession, there will be nothing left in a few years," Simard said in French in the legislature on Wednesday.
