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A Progressive Conservative legislator who publicly denounced Ontario’s decision to eliminate the independent office of the French-language services commissioner and a planned French-language university has left the Tory caucus.

In a letter to the Speaker of the legislature, Amanda Simard says her decision is effective immediately, and she will remain as an independent.

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“I am no longer a member of the Progressive Conservative Caucus,” Simard wrote in the short letter sent Thursday. “I will continue to take my place in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as an Independent.”

The rookie legislator, who represents a largely Franco-Ontarian riding, broke ranks with Premier Doug Ford’s government over the two controversial decisions affecting about 600,000 francophones in the province.

Simard said Wednesday that she was not satisfied by the government’s announcement late last week that it would create a commissioner position within the office of the provincial ombudsman, establish a Ministry of Francophone Affairs, and hire a senior policy adviser on francophone affairs in the premier’s office.