Bernier to ‘postpone indefinitely’ publication of book critical of Tory leader

OTTAWA — Conservative MP Maxime Bernier announced Wednesday he has indefinitely postponed the publication of his new book in which he criticizes party leader Andrew Scheer.

“After consideration, for the sake of maintaining harmony within our party, I have decided to postpone its publication indefinitely,” Bernier wrote on Twitter.

The book contained a chapter in which Bernier says he lost the Tory leadership race last year because his rival, Scheer, recruited “fake Conservatives” to cast votes for him.

The “fake” Conservatives Bernier referred to included farmers in Quebec who were upset with his policy to end Canada’s supply management system, which protects the domestic dairy, egg and poultry industries from foreign competition.