Accusations fly as division deepens between NDP, turfed MLA

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This article was published 18/09/2024 (356 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The MLA ousted from the governing NDP says his removal was intended to send a message to others in caucus not to question Premier Wab Kinew.

“I’m an object lesson,” Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw said Wednesday after NDP caucus chair Mike Moyes finally stood before the media to explain why Wasyliw had been removed on Monday.

Moyes said he was ousted for a number of reasons — a departure from Monday’s statement that explained it was because of Wasyliw’s association with Gerri Wiebe, the lawyer for high-profile sex offender Peter Nygard.

“I don’t think they could prove my point better about how toxic and dysfunctional that government is with the amount of nonsense that came out of Mike Moyes’ mouth this afternoon,” said Wasyliw in response.

Moyes told reporters at the legislature the decision to remove Wasyliw, a criminal defence lawyer, from NDP caucus was not solely based on the fact his colleague is defending Nygard in cases in Winnipeg and Toronto. He said it was, however, “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Moyes, the MLA for Riel, said caucus leadership met repeatedly with Wasyliw and tried to work with him over the last year to encourage him to be a “strong team player,” and role model for new NDP MLAs.

“Unfortunately, he continued to demonstrate a pattern of deceit and disrespect that was harmful to our team,” he said.

He would not provide any examples. Moyes accused Wasyliw of “numerous” comments and incidents that were “extremely disrespectful” toward the premier, cabinet ministers and others in the year before he was turfed.

Moyes went on to say: “Being an MLA is a full-time job… It’s not a side hustle,” and that Wasyliw was told to either leave his law practice or leave caucus.

“He made his choice.”

Wasyliw was back in court Tuesday defending two clients on impaired driving charges, one of them reportedly a city police officer.

The decision to oust Wasyliw prompted him to accuse Kinew of being a workplace bully and a “dysfunctional and toxic leader,” while sparking backlash from Manitoba’s legal community.

Wasyliw said the NDP is “scrambling” after being criticized for Monday’s announcement that it had turfed him because of his connection to Wiebe.

“It never really was anything to do with Nygard,” the MLA said. “They were using that as a pretext. What this was, is, that they didn’t like me. It was personal and they wanted me gone.”

The former chair of the Winnipeg School Division said he’s challenged Kinew’s ideas and had a run-in with Moyes, who he said is a “junior version” of the premier and a bully.

Wasyliw alleged that Moyes called him a liar, so the Fort Garry MLA said he threatened to file a respectful workplace complaint.

Wasyliw said Kinew has been trying to remove him from caucus since he didn’t shake hands with the premier when he was sworn in last year.

Wasyliw, the only practising lawyer in the NDP caucus, said he was hurt he had been passed over for a cabinet post even though he said he had wound down his law firm as promised.

On Wednesday, Moyes pointed out that Wasyliw told the Free Press he would take on more cases after being overlooked for cabinet. On Monday, he was kicked out of the caucus.

“Instead of being honest with Manitobans and being open and accountable and saying… ‘Hey, we think this guy’s a jerk – we don’t want him around’ you have to make up something: ‘He’s tied with Nygard’ to get people upset to remove me,” Wasyliw said.

Wasyliw said the caucus didn’t vote on his removal and said he’s not seen individual NDP MLAs take a stand on social media because they’re afraid of riling up the premier and winding up like him.

Moyes said consensus was reached during a caucus meeting Sunday, and insisted everyone present was given an opportunity to speak.

“That consensus was decided by me as the chair of caucus,” he said.

On Tuesday, Kinew said the NDP caucus made the “right decision,” and insisted Wasyliw was given a choice to be part of the NDP “team” or be affiliated with the convicted sex attacker and go with a law firm that is “making money” from Nygard.

The Progressive Conservatives called the new reasons given Wednesday for ousting Wasyliw from caucus “excuses” and a distraction.

“Wab Kinew and the NDP had no problem with Mark Wasyliw practising law while being an MLA for the last five years,” interim leader Wayne Ewasko said in a statement Wednesday.

“The NDP is spiralling,” Ewasko said. “Their excuses are inconsistent and they are trying to distract Manitobans from a dysfunctional government led by a premier who stands accused of being a bully who disrespects and demeans his staff and those working to support members of the legislative assembly,” he said.

“Manitobans won’t excuse this behaviour nor will they excuse the NDP’s cuts to schools, increased wait times for health care, and the fact violent crime, homelessness, and the cost of living are only getting worse.”

— With files from Dean Pritchard

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

In 1997, Carol started at the Free Press working nights as a copy editor. In 2000, she jumped at a chance to return to reporting. In early 2020 — before a global pandemic was declared — she agreed to pitch in, temporarily, at the Free Press legislature bureau. She’s been there ever since.

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Chris Kitching
Reporter

As a general assignment reporter, Chris covers a little bit of everything for the Free Press.

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