‘Right decision’ to oust MLA: Kinew

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This article was published 18/09/2024 (562 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — Premier Wab Kinew defended the NDP caucus’ decision to oust one of its MLAs while the Progressive Conservatives demanded an investigation Tuesday into his allegations the premier is a workplace bully.

Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw was kicked out of caucus Monday for having a business relationship with a lawyer who represents convicted sex offender Peter Nygard.

Kinew told reporters Tuesday the NDP caucus had 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 him.

“He can be affiliated with the NDP or he can be affiliated with Peter Nygard, but he can’t be both,” Kinew said in his office. “That’s the choice that was put to this MLA, and he decided to go with his law practice instead of with the team.”

After being booted from caucus Monday, Wasyliw told the Winnipeg Free Press the premier “will bully people instead of trying to build consensus. 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.”

On Tuesday, the Tories announced they would ask Speaker Tom Lindsey and the clerks of both the legislative assembly and the executive council to investigate the allegations.

“This isn’t about politics and the fallout between Wab Kinew and Mark Wasyliw,” interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko said. “This is about civil servants and staff at the legislative assembly — protecting the respectful workplace they deserve, and ensuring that people feel safe coming forward to report any misconduct by the premier and his senior staff.”

The premier said caucus leadership recently went to Wasyliw to tell him Nygard’s upcoming court dates in Winnipeg “will cause concern and real issues” for the NDP, and ask him to make a decision “between working with us or Nygard.”

“This was not a direction, this was a choice to this MLA,” said Kinew. “For somebody from our government team to be affiliated with that, (it) does not line up with our values as a political operation.”

The NDP doesn’t have time to “babysit someone’s law practice,” he said.

Kinew dismissed Wasyliw’s parting shot to the media Monday that the premier is “a dysfunctional and toxic leader” who “does not take criticism well.”

“It’s disappointing that he’s chosen to push a lamp off the table on his way out the door,” Kinew said.

The premier said he supports the caucus’ decision “100 per cent,” and that a person has a right to a defence attorney, but not a right “to be defended by an MLA.”

The Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys called it “troubling” that the decision to turf Wasyliw relates to his association with Nygard’s defence lawyer, Gerri Wiebe.

“Though our prosecutors may normally stand opposed to them in our adversarial system, we fully support the essential role of criminal defence counsel in representing accused persons in order to enforce the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and uphold the ideals of a free and democratic society,” the Crowns said in a statement. “It is imperative that all political parties respect this system in word and deed.”

The Law Society of Manitoba, the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba and the Manitoba Bar Association also condemned the rationale for ousting Wasyliw.

“It seems to rely on guilt by association,” University of Manitoba political studies professor emeritus Paul Thomas said Tuesday. “Historically, the NDP has stood up for the rights of the accused, so this defence is surprising and a mistake.”

Kinew said he did not personally ask Wasyliw to make a choice and said the decision to approach him was made after Nygard was given an 11-year sentence by a Toronto judge last week in relation to sex attacks on four women.

Kinew said Manitobans will likely have a negative reaction to an MLA being affiliated with Nygard.

A statement from NDP caucus chairman Mike Moyes on Monday said: “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.”

Wasyliw said he believes the premier directed the NDP caucus chairman to oust him after seeing a news story that involved Wiebe.

Kinew denied Wasyliw’s accusation of bullying in the workplace.

“If these are the things he’s saying about me, I might just have to take him off the Christmas card list,” the premier quipped.

The premier bristled at questions about his leadership style, and whether he struggles with dissenting views.

“(At) every Crown corporation board, we’ve kept the PC appointee on (it),” Kinew said. “I’m more than comfortable to entertain opinions because I think the consensus is stronger at the end of the day.”

Kinew, who maintained the decision to remove Wasyliw was made by caucus, was asked why he — and not Moyes — was responding to questions from reporters.

“Because all the media requests came in for me and I never like to leave you guys hanging,” Kinew said. The NDP caucus declined Free Press interview requests Monday and Tuesday.

Wasyliw said Monday Kinew was “super upset” last week at the media coverage of the NDP suspending the rent top-up program to help homeless people afford a place of their own and that it was the result of the premier tightening the purse-strings.

“I learned about this cut through the media,” said Kinew, who didn’t deny being riled by it. “Some days you get some surprises on your way into work. Would I have liked a better news story about the great work we’re doing on homelessness? Yes.”

The PCs said the allegations made by Wasyliw demand a third-party investigation “to depoliticize the process” that “restores respect, professionalism, and trust in the Manitoba government.”

The clerks and the Speaker have the power to investigate “this culture crisis of the premier’s own making,” Ewasko said.

In November, Kinew ordered a review of a harassment-reporting policy for government employees after former Tory cabinet minister Sarah Guillemard said she was groped by a former MLA at a gala event in March 2017.

The premier asked the clerk of the executive council — the head of Manitoba’s civil service — to review the “no wrong door” initiative implemented by the PCs in 2018. It allows government employees to report harassment directly to the Public Service Commission, the executive council clerk or both.

Kinew said at the time the review would determine whether the policy needs to be strengthened or updated.

Reporting guidance and mandatory anti-harassment training are included in Manitoba’s respectful workplace policies for MLAs and civil servants.

» Winnipeg Free Press, with files from Chris Kitching