Manitoba NDP caucus chair says turfed backbencher was disrespectful, deceitful

WINNIPEG — The chair of Manitoba’s NDP caucus says a booted backbencher’s ties to the lawyer representing convicted sex offender Peter Nygard was the last straw after a year of disrespectful behaviour.

The caucus turfed Mark Wasyliw on Monday, saying it was because he still works at the law firm where Nygard’s lawyer is a partner. Law groups have condemned that rationale.

Caucus chair Mike Moyes elaborated Wednesday on the abrupt removal.

“For the last year, caucus leadership has worked with Mark to encourage him to be a strong team player and to be a role model for our new MLAs. Unfortunately, he continued to demonstrate a pattern of deceit and disrespect that was harmful to our team,” said Moyes.

Moyes wouldn’t provide specifics, saying he didn’t want to get in a mudslinging contest.

But he said there have been instances when Wasyliw has disrespected caucus members, cabinet ministers and Premier Wab Kinew.

Wasyliw denied being verbally abusive to other MLAs but said he did have conflict with Moyes and the premier.

He said he has barely spoken with caucus since the NDP government took power last October.

“There’s been no discussion with me about my disrespectful behaviour in the last year. We’ve never had a conversation. There’s never been any issue,” Wasyliw said Wednesday.

A caucus meeting was held Sunday and members were given a chance to speak on various issues and concerns they had regarding Wasyliw, said Moyes.

He said there was no vote on removing Wasyliw but there was a consensus.

“That consensus was decided by me,” Moyes said. He would not say how many caucus members participated in the meeting.

“Being an MLA is a full-time job. Our constituents deserve our total attention. This job is a privilege and a public service. It’s not a side hustle,” said Moyes.

Wasyliw said he wasn’t made aware of the caucus meeting.

“I was never allowed to represent myself or provide any answers to any questions,” he said.

Soon after he was removed, Wasyliw accused Kinew of being a “toxic and dysfunctional leader” and said he believes the premier made the decision to have him turfed.

Moyes said that’s not the case.

On Tuesday, Kinew said Wasyliw had been told he would have to give up his job as a lawyer if he wanted to stay with caucus, and Wasyliw declined.

“You can be affiliated with the NDP or you can be affiliated with Peter Nygard. But you can’t do both,” Kinew told reporters.

“The caucus leadership made the decision to ask him to leave, and I support that decision 100 per cent.”

Nygard, who founded his fashion empire in Winnipeg, was sentenced earlier this month to 11 years in prison for sexually assaulting four women at his company’s headquarters in Toronto.

The 83-year-old faces other charges in Manitoba, Quebec and the United States.

Wasyliw has said he will continue to sit in the legislature representing the Winnipeg constituency of Fort Garry as an Independent and speaking for constituents who feel the NDP has strayed from its traditional values.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press