richardson was known as a "business liberal", on the right wing of the party. he clashed with prime minister pierre trudeau over his plans to patriate the canadian constitution and resigned from cabinet in 1976 to protest the government's implementation of official bilingualism and its proposed entrenchment in the constitution. in 1978, he left the liberal caucus entirely and crossed the floor to sit as an independent mp for the remainder of his term. he unsuccessfully attempted to form a new political party, the one canada party, but that floundered and he was not a candidate in the 1979 election. richardson endorsed joe clark's progressive conservative party in the 1980 federal election.