Kinew called a bully and coward by ousted MLA

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This article was published 16/09/2024 (389 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw, a lawyer, was fired up and ready to take aim at Premier Wab Kinew after being abruptly turfed from the NDP caucus Monday because his business associate represents convicted sex-offender Peter Nygard.

“(Kinew) will bully people instead of trying to build consensus,” Wasyliw said after being removed. “He is very demeaning to staff and MLAs when he talks to them. He will run them down — very disrespectful. The man couldn’t pass a respectful workplace review.”

Earlier, the party issued a news release in which caucus chairman Mike Moyes said the decision to oust Wasyliw took effect immediately.

“The decision came after our caucus learned that MLA Wasyliw’s business partner is acting as Peter Nygard’s criminal defence lawyer,” Moyes said in the release. “MLA Wasyliw’s failure to demonstrate good judgment does not align with our caucus principles of mutual respect and trust.

“As such, MLA Wasyliw can no longer continue his role in our caucus.”

When contacted by the Free Press, Wasyliw said he was cleaning out his office at the legislature instead of preparing for a caucus meeting Monday afternoon.

He didn’t hold back his criticism of Kinew’s leadership.

“He is a dysfunctional and toxic leader — he does not take criticism well.”

Wasyliw said Kinew was “super upset” last week about intense media coverage on his government’s decision to pause a key rent top-up program, and took his anger out on him.

Non-profit organizations and housing advocates spoke out against the move.

“He saw a news story involving my former law partner, and that triggered him and then the ultimatum and now I’m gone,” Wasyliw said.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with politics. This is basically just an excuse to get somebody who says no, that won’t be bullied, stands up for Manitobans, and to try to get rid of them — and he has been successful today.

“Our democracy is weaker for it.”

“He (Kinew) is a dysfunctional and toxic leader — he does not take criticism well.”–MLA Mark Wasyliw

He said the two have disagreed on issues in the past and have even had screaming matches. He was vocal about his disappointment when he wasn’t appointed to Kinew’s cabinet after the NDP was elected in October 2023. He was criticized for continuing his law practice after he was shunned from cabinet.

Wasyliw said he will sit as an independent. First elected MLA in 2019, he wouldn’t speculate about his political future.

Defence lawyer Gerri Wiebe represented Nygard, the former fashion businessman, in Toronto against charges of sexual assault. Nygard was sentenced to 11 years in prison last week in relation to sex attacks on four women. He’s due in Manitoba court on Oct. 11 to face similar charges and Wiebe is also representing Nygard in Winnipeg. The 83-year-old also faces charges in Quebec and the United States.

The Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba condemned the NDP’s reason for removing Wasyliw from its caucus.

“When criminal defence lawyers are told that they will be punished for their work upholding important constitutional rights such as the right to a fair trial, it creates a chill in our system of justice, and sends the message that we can be punished for having unpopular clients,” a statement said.

“The decision also sends the message that lawyers are deserving of punishment for the actions of our clients, which is troubling.”

Wiebe expressed dismay the government would use her representation of Nygard as an excuse to dump Wasyliw.

She said the two were partners at a law firm that was dissolved last year, but still has tax matters and other affairs to wrap up. Wasyliw is only an associate at her new law firm and not a partner. As well, they own a property together, which housed their former law firm, which they are currently renting to a credit union.

“The decision also sends the message that lawyers are deserving of punishment for the actions of our clients, which is troubling.”–Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba

“I feel the government has criticized me personally,” said Wiebe, who is president of the Law Society of Manitoba.

“Last week, the government honoured me for being appointed a King’s Counsel and on Monday they threw me under the bus. But these are the same people appointing judges, making the budget for Legal Aid and the Crown’s office — they control the purse strings for the entire justice system. It is really worrisome.”

Wayne Ewasko, the interim Progressive Conservative leader, said his party raised concerns about Wasyliw five years ago, but Kinew chose to defend him.

“(Monday’s) decision only highlights how far the NDP still needs to go in showing leadership and, as we’ve now learned, creating a respectful workplace,” said Ewasko.

“Kinew previously said the NDP ‘deserved to lose’ the 2016 election because of a disrespectful workplace. If it is indeed still disrespectful, we want people to feel safe coming forward.”

After Wasyliw was overlooked for a post in Kinew’s first cabinet, he later snubbed the premier by not shaking his hand at the MLA swearing-in ceremony on Oct. 23.

He said on the day of the ceremony that he was disappointed not to be given a portfolio.

“You think you have more to give and that you’re in a position to serve the province in a more critical role, and that certainly isn’t what’s happening now,” Wasyliw told the Free Press at the time.

The criminal defence lawyer said he planned to take on more cases after learning he would not be in cabinet and would have more time to devote to his practice.

“I think everyone who has been elected by the people of Manitoba should focus on serving the people of Manitoba,” Kinew told reporters the next day when asked about Wasyliw’s statements.

He said he wasn’t bothered by Wasyliw not shaking his hand after taking the oath of office. The premier would not say whether Wasyliw was asked to give up his law practice or whether that had anything to do with the decision to pass over him for a minister’s role.

Wasyliw’s work as a defence lawyer and ads on his firm’s website were the subject of attacks from the PC government before the NDP won the election.

Wasyliw was finance critic in opposition and is a former chairman of the Winnipeg School Division.

As the bombshell about Wasyliw’s dumping was dropped, Kinew was travelling to Minnesota to meet with the state’s lieutenant-governor to discuss trade relations.

The premier did not respond to a request for comment about Wasyliw’s allegations. The NDP said it also wouldn’t comment on his comments.

Meanwhile, Wasyliw said because he knows Kinew’s style of governance he believes the rent top-up program pause likely came from him.

“Wab micromanages, he controls everything,” Wasyliw said. “Ministers here do not have agency.

“Wab would have basically put the limits on and he would have said there was no more money. He would have made all those decisions and… he could overturn it, but chose not to. So, the ultimate responsibility falls on him, yet he forced (Housing) Minister (Bernadette) Smith to come out and say it was all her… he threw one of his ministers under the bus for something that was ultimately his decision.

“That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.”

He said the provincial budget is tight and the premier has declared austerity is the order of the day.

“He is running out of money now and he’s capping social programs, he’s declaring austerity, this is the exact opposite to what Manitobans voted for… and that’s really no different than the Conservatives, no different than (Brian) Pallister.”

Former Tory premier Pallister was vilified for massive cuts to social programs in his quest to balance the budget. He quit in 2021 and the party was later booted from office under his replacement, Heather Stefanson.

Wasyliw said Monday that Smith won’t be the only New Democrat Kinew will throw under the bus.

“He will do that to every single MLA in his caucus — he is not loyal. This is the project about him. This is about a personality cult. This is not about him being a New Democrat. He doesn’t have NDP values.”

Wasyliw teased Monday’s revelations would not be the end of the story.

“I have a lot more to say in the future about Wab Kinew and his leadership, and some of the stuff that needs to come out, but I think that’s pretty good for today.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca

Kevin Rollason
Reporter

Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press’s city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin.

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