TORONTO - A former Progressive Conservative lawmaker who quit the government caucus to protest cuts to francophone services is joining the Ontario Liberal Party.
Amanda Simard made the announcement today at the Ontario legislature with the party's interim leader John Fraser.
Simard was elected in 2018 at the age of 29 to represent the largely French-speaking eastern Ontario riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.
She left the Tory caucus in the wake of the government's decision to eliminate the independent office of the French-language services commissioner and scrap a planned French-language university.
Simard has been sitting as an independent since leaving the government caucus in November 2018.
With Simard joining their ranks, the Liberals will have six seats in the legislature - still short of the 12 needed to achieve official party status.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2020.
