Maverick MP Garth Turner said Tuesday that he is resigning from the Conservative party after being told he would not be permitted to seek a Tory nomination again.

"This is not easy for me to do after being a member of Parliament twice, after being a Conservative cabinet minister, after having been a leadership contender for the Progressive Conservative party and after having been a Conservative, a Tory for my entire life," Turner said.

Turner told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday that his riding association in Halton, Ont., has been told he won't be allowed to run as a Conservative in the next election, even though he is the nominated Tory candidate.

He said that his local riding association passed a motion after his ouster asking about his status and why he was booted out of the Tory caucus.

Turner said three letters sent to him on Friday by the leader of the Conservative Party and his top officials in the national caucus chair have answered those questions.

The notoriously outspoken parliamentarian claimed those letters have informed him that:

• He's been disqualified as a party candidate in the next election, despite the fact he's a card-carrying member of the party.
• The decision came in a closed meeting by the party's national council and "no reason was given."
• The national president of the party says "I will not be permitted to seek the Conservative nomination or a Conservative nomination again."
• His suspension from Caucus is indefinite and no reason will be given for it -- nor will any evidence will be provided to his electors.

All of this, added Turner, raises big questions about the government's commitment to transparency and accountability -- and about the role the average Canadian has in the political process.

"The parties removed an MP nominated by the local party members and elected by the voters. The party will not explain to the people why this has happened. The candidate that is selected for the next election has been set aside. No explanation," he said.

"And all of this has happened in secret without any input or appeal and yet it materially affects the voters of course in a large electoral district."

Turner intends to introduce a private members bill in the House of Commons in order to strengthen the role of Independent members and give them the ability to fundraise.

As well, he intends to seek a legal opinion, hoping to find ways to make big parties more accountable to the voters.

"I am not going away. Over the coming months I will travel anywhere that people want to talk about democratic renewal parliamentary reform, the role of our MPs and how citizens can get more involved to reclaim the system from the unrepentant, arrogant party bosses and the unelected back room boys," Turner asserted.

He also clarified that he would not become the newest member of the Green Party.

"There's been speculation that I today will announce my intent to join a political party that starts with 'g.' That is not the case," Turner said.

Turner has been in talks with Green party Leader Elizabeth May, drawing speculation that he could become the first Green to hold a seat in the House of Commons.

In a statement on his blog earlier on Tuesday, the Halton MP said his experiences since being elected have caused him to re-examine the way people are represented in the country.

"I can only say this, with clarity: It's not working. When voter turnout is declining, young people feel massively disenfranchised and MPs realize they're increasingly irrelevant, change is required. It can't wait," Turner said in his blog.

The Ontario MP has sat as an Independent ever since he was indefinitely suspended from the Tory caucus last month, accused of breaching party confidentiality on his blog.

He also faced criticism for his comments on what Turner called the "hats and horses" crowd, which would mainly be former Reform and Alliance Party types.

The Tories have said Turner's indiscretions were hurting the caucus' ability to function behind closed doors.