OTTAWA—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. “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?”Read more:Liberal MP challenges Justin Trudeau over leadership stylePMO denies Trudeau was hostile toward Liberal MP Celina Caesar-ChavannesLiberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes says she will not be seeking re-electionShe 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 statem ...
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