Ousted MLA was disrespectful, deceitful long before removal: Manitoba NDP caucus chair
CBC
The Manitoba NDP caucus chair says an MLA booted from caucus earlier this week had shown a pattern of deceit and disrespect before he was removed.
The NDP said Monday it was removing Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw from caucus immediately because a colleague in the law practice where he works is representing convicted sexual predator Peter Nygard in court — which the NDP said was a failure by Wasyliw to "demonstrate good judgment."
On Wednesday, caucus chair Mike Moyes said that was just the "straw that broke the camel's back."
"There's been many disrespectful incidents where he has disrespected numerous caucus members, cabinet ministers and the premier, and there's been incidents where he didn't follow our process," Moyes told reporters.
"It unfortunately has come to a place where we needed to make a choice."
Wasyliw, who is a defence attorney, promised to wind down his law practice prior to the NDP's victory in last fall's provincial election, but changed course after he was not named to Kinew's cabinet, Moyes said.
Caucus leadership met with Wasyliw repeatedly to discuss their concerns and worked to help Wasyliw — first elected in 2019 — become a "team player" and "role model for our new MLAs" over the past year, according to Moyes.
At a caucus meeting Sunday, it was agreed he needed to be removed, said the chair.
"We offered a clear path forward — leave your law practice or leave caucus," he said.
Echoing Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's words from last fall, Moyes added that being an MLA is "a privilege and public service — it's not a side hustle."
Wasyliw, however, denies there was consensus, a meeting or a vote.
"It would be very easy to prove me wrong," he told CBC Wednesday. "Pull out the other 34 [NDP] MLAs and they can stand behind the mic with Wab and say, 'Yeah, we agree that he should've gone.'
"They will not be able to do that. There was no consensus."
After his dismissal on Monday, Wasyliw accused Kinew of being a bullying leader.