Recently, Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber resigned from the Tory caucus after saying a bill he put forward was watered down by members of his own party.
David Wilks, MP for Kootenay Columbia, told the Townsman on Friday that his Edmonton-St. Albert colleague was not happy with the way things had moved forward.
"Mr. Rathgeber was becoming increasingly frustrated with how I believe he felt he was being treated with his private members bill," Wilks said. "Although I never spoke to Mr. Rathgeber personally about it, you could sense that it was a hill that he was obviously willing to die on. And he made the decision to leave the Conservative caucus and sit as an independent."
Wilks said he wishes Rathgeber the best of luck.
"We'll see him in Ottawa over the course of the next two and a half years," he said.
When asked whether this represented a broader sentiment in the party, Wilks said it didn't.
"Brent was frustrated and I guess you get to a point where you have to make that personal decision and he did," he said.