Ousted NDP MLA Mark Wasyliw has filed an ethics complaint against Premier Wab Kinew over the publication of his children’s book An Anishinaabe Christmas.
In the latest chapter following his dramatic removal from the NDP caucus in September, the independent member for Fort Garry is accusing the premier and author of violating ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor’s directive concerning publication of his books.
Schnoor’s Nov. 2, 2023 letter to Kinew provided by the premier’s office acknowledged that before becoming premier, he had submitted three books to his publisher that were awaiting publication.
Former NDP, now independent, MLA Mark Wasyliw has filed an ethical complaint saying the premier should not be allowed to have a book published while holding that political position. (Mike Deal/Free Press files)
“At some point in the future, your publisher will publish them and make them available to the public for purchase,” Schnoor wrote. “The decision on when this takes place is the publisher’s; you will play no role in this decision.”
An Anishinaabe Christmas was one of the three books, Kinew’s press secretary said Tuesday.
The ethics commissioner directed Kinew not to submit anything further for publication. He told the premier not to engage in any activities to promote the sale of his books, and to ask his publisher to refrain from identifying him as premier on any books and promotional materials.
Wasyliw’s complaint to Schnoor tabled in the legislature Tuesday afternoon said promotional materials have identified the author as Manitoba’s premier and provided links to his social media accounts that identify him as premier.
The MLA for Fort Garry cited a web page from Penguin Random House promoting the book that refers to the author as a “provincial politician in Manitoba” and provides hyperlinks to Kinew’s political website.
Promotional articles in the Nov. 28 Montreal Gazette and U.S. book-review magazine Kirkus Reviews refer to Kinew as the premier of Manitoba.
“Any promotion of his work would inevitably include references to him being premier of Manitoba,” Wasyliw’s two-page complaint said.
“By publishing any work while premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew will inevitably trade his public profile and status that will directly benefit him in a pecuniary manner. This is unavoidable,” the MLA and criminal defence lawyer wrote.
“The only ethical recourse would be a prohibition on any publications while he is premier,” Wasyliw’s complaint says.
He’s asked the ethics commissioner to investigate whether Kinew broke conflict-of-interest rules. Schnoor confirmed he received the request Tuesday but couldn’t comment further.
When asked to comment Tuesday, the premier’s office referred to Schnoor’s letter from last year, noting that An Anishinaabe Christmas was one of the three books the ethics commissioner knew about and was OK with being published after Kinew became premier.
The ethics commissioner wrote that he was satisfied that Kinew’s work as an author carried out through his Grey Cloud Media Inc. “will not create a conflict between your private interests and your official powers, duties or functions. I am further satisfied that a reasonable person would not see these activities as creating such a conflict.”
Wasyliw, who was first elected as an NDP MLA in 2019, was overlooked for cabinet when the NDP formed government in 2023 and criticized afterward for not giving up his law practice to avoid any potential conflicts.
He was kicked out of the caucus in September after the party learned that a Wasyliw business associate was acting as the criminal defence lawyer for sex offender Peter Nygard, and that “Wasyliw’s failure to demonstrate good judgment does not align with our caucus principles of mutual respect and trust.”
Wasyliw responded by calling Kinew “a dysfunctional and toxic leader.”
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
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