Former Liberal cabinet ministers Jody Wilson-Raybould and Jane Philpott will run as Independents in the upcoming federal election, they declared Monday.

The pair made their plans known through separate but co-ordinated announcements in their ridings B次元官网网址� Wilson-Raybould in Vancouver and Philpott outside Toronto. Both dressed in white, pointedly eschewing any partyB次元官网网址檚 colours.

B次元官网网址淚 know youB次元官网网址檙e all wondering what colour I was going to wear today,B次元官网网址� Philpott said with a wide grin on her face, on a riser at a farm store.

B次元官网网址淚 am going to run in the federal election as an Independent candidate for the people of Markham-Stouffville. We are going to do it together. Yes. All of us, all of together.B次元官网网址�

At a small community centre in her riding of Vancouver Granville, Wilson Raybould told her supporters sheB次元官网网址檚 heard an B次元官网网址渙verwhelmingB次元官网网址� message about the need to do politics differently, adding she believes running as Independent B次元官网网址� the political version of a free agent B次元官网网址� is the best way to achieve that goal.

B次元官网网址淚 know that it will not be easy to run a campaign as an Independent,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭here will be challenges, but with your support, I am confident that running as an Independent is the best way to B次元官网网址� go about it at this time and the best way to transform our political culture.B次元官网网址�

Philpott acknowledged some will be surprised by her decision but she said running on her own is the most honest thing for her to do.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 probably a few of you who were wishing for something different,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 OK. I heard a whole range of advice.B次元官网网址�

Julia Reesor, a 61-year-old family friend at MondayB次元官网网址檚 event, said she thought Philpott running as an Independent candidate is a B次元官网网址済reat fit.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪he said she has more work to do and I know sheB次元官网网址檒l deliver and get things done,B次元官网网址� Reesor said.

MondayB次元官网网址檚 announcements puts to rest political speculation about next steps for the two former Liberal cabinet ministers, who were removed from their party caucus in the House of Commons following the SNC-Lavalin controversy.

Wilson-Raybould served as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first Indigenous justice minister before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuffled her to the portfolio of veterans affairs in January.

She later revealed she thought the decision to move her out of the justice role was motivated by her refusal to intervene in the criminal prosecution of the Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. She ultimately resigned from cabinet.

Trudeau denied any wrongdoing but conceded there was an B次元官网网址渆rosion of trustB次元官网网址� between his office and Wilson-Raybould.

Philpott, who served as health minister, Indigenous-services minister and then president of the Treasury Board, also resigned over TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 handling of the controversy.

Both were subsequently removed from the Liberal caucus in early April and sit as Independent MPs in the House of Commons. Trudeau barred them from running again as Liberals.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a challenging five months, Wilson-Raybould said.

B次元官网网址淚 find myself in a place that I never expected to be for, as IB次元官网网址檝e said, doing my job and speaking the truth,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 regret that it has come to this place.B次元官网网址�

There were issues that could have been resolved sooner, she said, but she has had time to reflect on her choice.

B次元官网网址淚 am really pleased and happy with the decision that IB次元官网网址檝e made,B次元官网网址� she said.

With few resources as a legislator and none of the authority she had as a minister, Philpott said, she hasnB次元官网网址檛 lost her voice B次元官网网址� sheB次元官网网址檚 found it. She said MPs who are more independent, whether itB次元官网网址檚 within parties or outside of them, are good for the country.

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Both Philpott and Wilson-Raybould spoke highly of the Green party and its leader Elizabeth May, and acknowledged having repeated conversations about running for that party, but decided that Canadian politics needs more people beholden to no central authority.

May said on Parliament Hill on Monday that she spoke to both Wilson-Raybould and Philpott ahead of MondayB次元官网网址檚 announcement, adding she was willing to step aside if they had leadership aspirations.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard for people to quite understand the extent to which this wasnB次元官网网址檛 a negotiation,B次元官网网址� May said. B次元官网网址淣either of them were interested in taking on leadership roles.B次元官网网址�

In response to a question Monday about whether running as an Independent could split the vote in her riding and lead to a Conservative win (she took just under 44 per cent of the vote last time, securing the seat by a comfortable margin but not a majority), Wilson-Raybould said hopes voters will support her because she stands for their values.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 believe that votes are simply B次元官网网址� to be divided among three or four political parties,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址� I believe in the people of Vancouver Granville. I believe in Canadians to make informed decision about policy, informed decisions about who to vote for.B次元官网网址�

She also said it is fair to say she and Philpott have similar world views.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to continue to work together,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址擶ith files from Laura Kane in Vancouver and Alanna Rizza in Toronto

Kristy Kirkup, The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press

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