Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw said he’s received “overwhelmingly” positive support from constituents and New Democrats after being booted from the NDP caucus.
“I’ve been hearing from people I know in the NDP that they’ve been calling the party office and ripping up memberships over this,” Wasyliw said late Tuesday.
The former head of the Winnipeg School Division — who was at one time a star in Wab Kinew’s shadow cabinet — has been on the outs with him for two years. Wasyliw was snubbed for a cabinet post when the NDP formed government last year because he reportedly refused to give up his law practice and be a full-time MLA.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES
NDP MLA Mark Wasyliw says he’s received “overwhelmingly” positive support from constituents and New Democrats after being booted from the NDP caucus.
When he was sworn in to government, he was the only NDP MLA who didn’t shake hands or acknowledge Premier Kinew. Several months after his former law partner Gerri Wiebe took on Peter Nygard as a client, NDP caucus chairman Mike Moyes turfed Wasyliw over it in an email Monday. Last week, Nygard was convicted in a Toronto court of sexually attacking four women.
On Tuesday, Kinew said the decision to remove Wasyliw was made by caucus and he supported it. He alleged that Wasyliw was making money from the Nygard case and had a choice between being affiliated with the high-profile sex offender or being affiliated with the NDP — and the MLA chose Nygard.
“This is, categorically, a false statement and he knows it’s a false statement,” said Wasyliw. “I met with his chief of staff, Mark Rosner, last week and I explained that I have no business relationship at all with Nygard — never have. He has never been a client of any firm that I’ve been a partner at,” said the criminal defence lawyer.
“My former law partner took him on as a client at her new firm, about six months ago, that I have no financial interest or stake in,” said Wasyliw. “I’m not making any money on his case and (Kinew) knows that.
“For him to try and mislead Manitobans shows how truly unfit he is to be a premier.”
The premier said he was disappointed that Wasyliw decided to metaphorically knock a lamp off the table on his way out the door. He joked about Wasyliw’s allegations that he was a bully and dysfunctional leader, and said he might have to remove him from his Christmas card list.
“His flippant comment and the fact that he’s not taking this very seriously is troubling,” said Wasyliw. “It shows how detached he’s becoming from the lives of Manitobans that he thinks this is remotely funny at all.”
When he met with Rosner, Wasyliw said he wanted to resolve the differences.
“I was told that was never going to happen. A true leader would try to build bridges and fix things. Wab believes in exclusion and dividing people,” said Wasyliw, who’s waiting to find out where his new office will be at the legislature, now that he will sit as an independent.
“I have no problem associating with New Democrats who actually want to work for the betterment of Manitoba,” he said. “Wab is working for the benefit of himself. He’s going to burn whatever bridge down to protect himself.”
The official statement from the NDP caucus implied Wasyliw was a difficult colleague and not a team player, Prof. Paul Thomas said.
“There is almost always one or more individuals within a party caucus who are opinionated and outspoken,” said the University of Manitoba political studies professor emeritus. “Effective party leaders do not overreact to the expression of dissenting opinions, especially if they are confined to the privacy of caucus.”
Thomas said he doubts that MLAs feel inclined to challenge Kinew, given his personal popularity and the party’s political success.
“Wasyliw may be a lone voice. His harsh criticisms probably reflect a combination of blunted ambition, ideological disagreements and clashes of personalities,” Thomas said.
“A strong domineering leader who insists on internal and external solidarity can bring short-term success, but it can also lead to medium and longer-term problems like a lack of strong, high-profile successors and an internal culture which does not value debate and learning,” he said.
“I think that is the lesson of the (Brian) Pallister period.”
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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