Chris Young/CANADIAN PRESS Ontario PC MPP Randy Hillier speaks with reporters at the Ontario legislature in Toronto on March 19, 2018.

TORONTO — A provincial politician has been kicked out of the Progressive Conservative caucus days after he alleged he was being penalized for butting heads with people in the premier's inner circle. A letter written by the Tory caucus chair and provided to media on Friday said Randy Hillier had been permanently expelled following a review of his behaviour both before and after his suspension from caucus last month. In the letter, Daryl Kramp said Premier Doug Ford was disappointed that Hillier "continued to escalate the situation in public" and appeared unwilling to be a team player. When asked whether the decision was a response to Hillier's statements earlier this week that he had been suspended over long-standing tensions with the premier's top advisers, Ford's office pointed to a letter written by the party's president, Brian Patterson.

Cole Burston/CANADIAN PRESS Ontario Premier Doug Ford answers media questions during an announcement in Cambridge, Ont., on March 13, 2019.

Patterson's letter, sent last weekend to the constituency association in Hillier's riding, said the politician was being disciplined over a pattern of behaviour. It cited a number of actions that "demonstrate an apparent lack of commitment to (Hillier's) caucus colleagues," including that he often expresses his dissatisfaction with the government in the media and that he "rarely highlights the government's policies and agenda through social media." Hillier was also criticized in the document for his low attendance record at caucus meetings and for allowing an independent member of the legislature to ask a question in the House in his absence. The legislator responded to his expulsion Friday on Twitter. "I'll never apologize for putting my constituents first. I was informed of the decision while I was meeting with the people that sent me to Queen's Park in the first place," Hillier said, adding he would speak more on the issue soon.

I'll never apologize for putting my constituents first. I was informed of the decision while I was meeting with the people that sent me to Queen's Park in the first place. I'll have more to say soon, and you can rest assured I won't yada yada over the best parts.#onpolihttps://t.co/LobQzQFhao — Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) March 15, 2019