OTTAWA 鈥� Newly independent Sen. Lynn Beyak is speaking out about her removal from the Conservative caucus over racist letters on her website, calling Tory Leader Andrew Scheer "inexperienced."
In , Beyak disputed Scheer鈥檚 telling of events, and took the opportunity to attack Scheer鈥檚 leadership.
Scheer had said in announcing that he would be removing her from caucus, that he had 鈥渄emanded鈥� Beyak remove the "racist" content and she refused.
Beyak now says that neither she, nor anyone in her office spoke with Scheer or anyone on his staff about removing the content. The senator said she learned of her ouster through Scheer's statement released Thursday evening.
The senator equated Scheer鈥檚 decision to remove her to accepting 鈥渂ait.鈥�
鈥淎 good leader would never have fallen for such a ploy, but when an inexperienced leader wins by a small margin, and does not adequately consider other viewpoints, some wisdom and common sense are lost. We deserve better leadership other than the current choices, who are mired in, or hampered by, political correctness,鈥� Beyak said in the statement.
She also denied that she intentionally posted racist correspondence about Indigenous people to her senate website.
"I would never say or do such a thing," Beyak said in the statement.
The senator went on to reference freedom of speech and pledges that as an independent senator she will "continue to post the thoughtful ideas, stories, research and wisdom of the people, who recognize that enough is enough and it is time for a change."
It's her "duty" and "role" to "speak on behalf of so many wise Canadians," Beyak said.
In March 2017, Beyak came under fire for saying "some good" had come from residential schools.
The letter at the heart of this dispute was one of around 100 that were posted to her website backing Beyak鈥檚 position on residential schools, or commenting on Indigenous people in general.
Reached for comment, Scheer鈥檚 office says their previous statement about Beyak鈥檚 removal stands.
