Charlottetown MP Sean Casey claims that he was dismissed from his role as parliamentary secretary to the minister of veterans affairs due to his endorsement of an NDP private member’s bill aimed at restricting arms exports to Israel.
In March, Casey reported receiving a warning from the Liberal whip indicating that if he backed NDP MP Jenny Kwan’s Bill C-233, known as the No More Loopholes Act, he would be relieved of his position.
While 15 Liberal MPs defied the party line and supported the legislation, Casey was the sole parliamentary secretary to do so.
“The purpose of the bill was to close the loopholes that permitted Canadian military equipment to be sold to other nations, only to end up in Israel and subsequently used against Palestinians,” Casey explained during an interview with CBC News.
-
NDP’s U.S. arms-control bill fails, 15 Liberal MPs break rank with government
-
Crown corp. reviewed U.S.-bound arms exports over potential transfer to Israel
“That was the aim of the legislation. And that’s what concerned my constituents,” he added.
Casey mentioned that he received a call from the Atlantic office of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Thursday informing him of his replacement. He characterized his discussions with both the whip and the PMO as “direct,” with a clear reference to his support for Kwan’s bill.
On Friday, the PMO revealed that Quebec MP Sophie Chatel would take over Casey’s position.
Parliamentary secretaries earn an additional $20,900 on top of their base MP salary of $217,700 and serve as representatives of the minister at public functions.
Casey reflected that over the last six months, he had begun to question whether he would face any disciplinary action.
“I honored my commitment to my constituents by voting in favor of the bill and hadn’t heard anything from anyone until yesterday,” he stated.
“It took so long that I was starting to wonder if they had forgotten about me.”
Departure from Trudeau platform
Casey believed that Liberal MPs not in cabinet were permitted to vote freely on private member’s bills, with certain exceptions related to the implementation of the Liberal platform, confidence matters like the budget, or issues affecting rights protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This principle was clearly outlined in the 2015 Liberal platform that brought the Trudeau Liberals to power.
“From everything I understood in my 15 years here, there seemed to be a rule change that I and many of my colleagues were unaware of,” he expressed.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The vote appeared to have not been whipped, given that over a dozen Liberal MPs supported Kwan’s bill, which ultimately did not pass.
In a statement, Kwan described Casey’s situation as “distressing and a matter of concern for all Canadians.”
She noted that it raises doubts about the Liberal government’s dedication to allowing MPs the freedom to exercise their judgment and represent their constituents genuinely.
“The prime minister speaks eloquently, but in practice, he uses his authority to suppress dissent,” she remarked.
Casey asserted that this incident would not stop him from advocating for his constituents in the House, stating, “if anything, I feel a bit liberated now to not have to adhere so strictly to the party line as seems to be required.”
Nevertheless, he maintained “tremendous” respect for the prime minister and affection for the Liberal Party.
“What has transpired does not alter that in any way,” he concluded.
