Senator Lynn Beyak says she will retire immediately after comments on residential schools

Senator Beyak has been facing increasing calls to be expelled from the Senate due to alleged inappropriate comments regarding Canada's First Nations people, especially regarding Canada's infamous residential schools. She also falsely claimed to be Metis on at least one occasion.

She has already long since been expelled from the Tory caucus by Andrew Sheer, who led the party at the time, and has been sitting ever since without a party affiliation.

She was also suspended from the Senate for a period of time and forced to take anti-racism training and apologize publicly for what in her own words were "offensive and hurtful letters" published on her personal website.

According to CTV News, the Senator claims her resignation is due to a promise she made to former PM Stephen Harper not to stay in office for more than eight years.

"'A promise made, a promise kept.' I intend to honour my commitment and therefore announce today that effective January 25, 2021 – the end of my 8th year - I will be retiring from the Senate of Canada," said the Senator in a prepared statement.

This is despite the growing controversy surrounding her and the sudden and unanticipated nature of her announcement.

Senator Mary Jane McCallum, who endured herself the horrors of a residential school as a child, had this to say:

"A modern Senate is no place for racism to exist. Beyak’s actions have sown division in our society. By allowing her to remain in a position with the inherent title of ‘Honourable’ while such misdeeds have been appropriated is irresponsible and sets a poor example that is contrary to how Parliamentarians expect themselves and each other to act."