Tory MP expelled from caucus

http://www.politicswatch.com/casey-june5-2007.htm

OTTAWA — Nova Scotia MP Bill Casey was expelled from the Conservative caucus Tuesday night just minutes after he voted against his party's budget in the House of Commons. "Mr. Casey is well aware of the consequences before he cast his vote," Government Whip Jay Hill told reporters. "The consequences are he will no longer be sitting as a Conservative member of parliament."Casey, who was the longest-serving Conservative MP in the House of Commons, was the only government MP from Atlantic Canada to vote against the budget because of changes it made to the Atlantic Accord. Casey said the language in the budget effectively broke the offshore resources deal with his province. Six Tory MPs from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, including Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, have been coming under pressure to defy the Prime Minister's Office and vote against the budget because of the changes.