Rookie Ontario MPP Amanda Simard has gone from talking against her government, to acting.
The Progressive Conservative member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell voted against her government's fall economic update Wednesday, over their recent cuts to French-language services.
"Franco-Ontarians are not asking for additional rights or services, we're asking that the existing protections and entities remain in place," she said Wednesday.
Last week, Simard came out publicly against the government's decision to cancel a planned French language university and moving the French Language commissioner's office into the ombudsman's office as part of the fiscal update.
Simard has said she internally tried to have the moves reversed and met with Premier Doug Ford and Francophone Affairs Minister Caroline Mulroney.
Late Friday, the government announced several new positions and the establishment of a Francophone Affairs ministry.
But Wednesday, Simard reiterated it's not enough.
"I don't feel that's enough and I know that the Franco-Ontarians don't feel that's enough," she told reporters.
The vote came after Simard said her party would not allow her to speak on the Opposition motion that came to the floor, with the party claiming she made the request too late and the list of speakers was already full.
As for the premier, Ford said after originally meeting with Simard last week over her concerns, she hasn't responded to requests to speak again, even as the government unveiled its new measures.
"We called her endless times, someone told me we've called her over a dozen times, she wouldn't answer the phone, she could've been part of it, she chose not to," Ford said. "She decided to side with the NDP and the Liberals."
Earlier this week, the Toronto Star reported there's fear in the PC ranks that several MPPs could potentially cross the floor to the opposition.
But Ford was asked if he would take action and remove Simard from caucus.
"I want her part of my team, she looked at me square in the eyes and told me 'Doug, I agree with everything the PCs have been doing, I have an issue on this one issue,' I get it, I get it," he said. "She wants to side with the Liberals and the NDP, that's MPP Simard's choice, it's not my choice, I'd rather her be part of the team."
With files from CTV Toronto