Senator Larry Smith’s switch to CSG was first announced via the group’s official Twitter account and later confirmed by Smith’s office on Thursday. Smith’s departure from the Conservative caucus comes as the party is set to choose its new leader in September. Quebec’s senator has endorsed the province’s former premier Jean Charest for the Tory leadership. As a widely recognized and respected figure in Quebec, Mr All CSG members look forward to working with Senator Smith. pic.twitter.com/DtJTgWmLQ3 —@csg_gsc Financial returns released by Elections Canada earlier this week show Charest’s main challenger in the leadership race, Pierre Poilievre, raised just over $4 million in the second quarter of the year, while Charest raised nearly 1.4 million dollars during the same period. Smith’s office has denied that his departure from the Conservative caucus is related to the leadership race. “His decision was entirely personal,” a statement from Smith’s office said. Although he will no longer be a Conservative senator, Smith’s office said he will remain a member of the party. Smith was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, first in 2010 before leaving the red chamber to launch an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the House of Commons in the 2011 election. Harper reappointed him later in 2011.
