O'Toole defends decision to turf Batters as senator accuses him of keeping MPs in line with threats

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole today defended his decision to turf a Saskatchewan senator from caucus for pushing a petition to hold an earlier leadership review, saying Sen. Denise Batters is not a team player.

Speaking to reporters before a Conservative caucus meeting, O'Toole said Batters forced his hand by starting a petition that undermines the Official Opposition's efforts to hold the government to account.

"It was a necessary decision to make for the well-being of our caucus, our Parliament and our country," O'Toole said. "We're united on our way forward as a team. People that are now allowing their frustrations and their own personal agendas or issues on the pandemic to interfere with our progress are not part of that team.

"That's why we made the decision last night. You don't want to make the decision, but she really made it for herself."

O'Toole said he doesn't want to see the party consumed by internal squabbling. He said he wants Conservative MPs focused on the economy, "a corrupt and cover-up-prone Liberal government" and what he calls "a professional approach to dealing with the pandemic."

O'Toole said Batters is "not putting the team and the country first" and had to be shown the door.

WATCH: O'Toole addresses senator's ousting from Conservative caucus

Batters hit back at O'Toole in a statement of her own, saying he is a thin-skinned leader who "cannot tolerate criticism."

"I started a petition, as any member of the Conservative Party may do under our party's constitution. It asked that our members simply have the say they deserve on the leadership and future direction of our party, in an expedited manner that would be the usual course of action after an election loss," Batters said in her statement.

"After the election, I raised my concerns with Mr. O'Toole directly. He did not respond and he did not act. I then asked publicly that our members have a voice. His response now is to kick me out."

Batters said O'Toole is trying to suppress dissent by using "threats" and "intimidation" to force MPs to fall in line.

"If Mr. O'Toole is certain that the members of our party support the new direction in which he is taking our party, he should have nothing to fear by facing our members democratically in an expedited confidence vote. That he is fighting against this with threats and intimidation to caucus speaks volumes," Batters said.

Conservatives eager to keep O'Toole in his position have gathered support from caucus members willing to dump MPs who back the Saskatchewan senator's petition.

Senior Conservative sources with knowledge of caucus matters told CBC News Tuesday that — in an attempt to discourage caucus members who are considering signing that petition — 24 Conservative MPs have pledged to sign a letter triggering the Reform Act, which would then enable a vote to expel members who back Batters' petition.