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Ron Cantelon, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum during a press scrum at a hotel in Richmond, BC November 19, 2010 where he announced Bill Bennett had been kicked out of BC Liberal caucus.

Maverick MLA Bill Bennett, fired from cabinet this week for questioning Premier Gordon Campbell's resignation timetable, has been kicked out of the Liberal caucus.

The decision was announced Friday by caucus chair Ron Cantelon, who took a break from an ongoing caucus meeting to talk to the media.

"Our operations of caucus are built on mutual respect and trust and Bill clearly violated those principles," he said.

Mr. Cantelon described a thoughtful, considered discussion among caucus members behind closed doors at a Vancouver airport hotel.

"We heard from everyone in the caucus and everybody agrees with the decision."

He said Mr. Bennett does not appear to believe in the principles of mutual respect vital to caucus.

Mr. Cantelon said the caucus supports the premier's timetable for leaving.

Mr. Bennett, who said he expected to be fired, did not attend the meeting.

In a posting to his Facebook account on Friday night, Mr. Bennett indicated that he was taking solace from Winstron Churchill.

"Churchill said when you are going through hell, keep going. He also said you couldn't possibly have accomplished anything in your life if you didn't have enemies. It is good to be back in the Kootenays. There is a putrid stench in Victoria these days that makes you sick if you stay around it too long."

Mr. Bennett may be on his way out of the Liberal caucus after a bitter, public clash with Premier Gordon Campbell, but he still has strong support in his riding and people are urging him to challenge for leadership of the party.

"We came out and said in a recent statement that if he were to run for the leadership we would support him fully - and I sent him an e-mail this morning to say that hasn't changed one bit," Doug Clovechok, President of the Columbia-River Revelstoke riding association said Thursday.

"Do we support Bill Bennett and what he said? Absolutely," said Mr. Clovechok, commenting on the former cabinet minister's comments made Monday, in which he called for the Premier to leave office, rather than wait for an upcoming leadership vote, Feb. 26.

Mr. Bennett lost his job as Energy Minister, Wednesday, because of his public criticism of Mr. Campbell.

Following his abrupt dismissal from cabinet, Mr. Bennett lashed out at Mr. Campbell, saying the Premier runs the Liberal caucus largely through intimidation.

"He's not a nice man . . . and I'm really tired of the way that Gordon Campbell thinks that he can just run on people," he said, describing how the Premier once leaned in close to yell at him, leaving spittle on his face.

Mr. Clovechok said Mr. Bennett's reputation hasn't been hurt in the Kootenays by his conflict with the Premier.

"The feedback I'm getting is that people are very supportive of Bill," he said. "Obviously he got pushed to the point where he had to step up and say what he had to say."

Mr. Clovechok said people are more critical of Mr. Campbell, because they don't understand how he can quit his job and still be there.

"The sentiment I'm hearing from people is, 'If I ever resigned my job I wouldn't get to sit there for six months'," he said.

Judie Blakely, President of the East Kootenay riding association, in Mr. Bennett's hometown of Cranbrook, said people have been electing him since 2001 because they like his tough, honest, outspoken approach.

"The riding association fully supports Bill," she said. "He's just told the truth. Mr. Campbell needs to go and everyone knows it."

She said e-mails and phone calls are pouring in to express support for Mr. Bennett, and many people are saying they hope he runs for the leadership.

"This isn't all over yet," she said.

Arriving for Friday's caucus meeting, Vancouver MLA Kash Heed said he supported Mr. Bennett's right to express his views, but was hard pressed to judge Mr. Campbell because he was only first elected last year.

"I can tell you right now. If someone bullied me, they would land flat on their ass," said the former police officer and solicitor-general.

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