The Singh-Weir dispute,
Saskatchewan MP besieged by claims of sexual harassment
OTTAWA • New Democrats say there was “no joy” in leader Jagmeet Singh’s decision to expel Saskatchewan MP Erin Weir on Wednesday following an investigation that revealed claims of sexual harassment against him, but they appear united in support of their leader’s decision.
Singh said Thursday he had been prepared to take a “rehabilitative approach” to keep Weir in the fold, but suggested the MP’s comments this week, in which he criticized the investigation and one complainant, “made it clear he did not accept responsibility for what the inquiry found to be a fact.”
Singh said he “could not in good conscience” allow Weir to remain a member of the NDP caucus and expelled him on Wednesday night. Weir had been suspended from his duties since February, after MP Christine Moore sent an email to the NDP caucus alleging that multiple women had told her Weir had harassed them.
An independent investigation revealed one claim of harassment and three claims of sexual harassment against Weir. Singh would not provide details of the allegations, but said the investigation “found that Mr. Weir failed to read non-verbal cues in social settings and that his behaviour resulted in significant negative impacts to the complainants.”
The report, which has not been made public, also found that Weir stopped when he was told his advances were unwanted.
Earlier this week, CBC News published a story with allegations from one complainant who said she felt physically intimidated by Weir. In a statement later that day, Weir alleged that a member of former leader Tom Mulcair’s staff had made a “trumpedup” complaint of harassment against him in retaliation for his questioning the Trudeau government’s carbontax plan. On Thursday, Singh said Weir’s public comments could have identified one of the complainants and that “a rehabilitative approach is no longer possible.”
Several NDP MPs say Singh made the right decision given Weir’s comments criticizing the investigation. “We were all very surprised and very let down that Erin decided not to go through a process of working to find a solution, but to actually attack the women and try and discredit them,” Ontario MP Charlie Angus said. “There was a process. He basically blew the process up.”
“You have to accept the consequences of the political choices you make in life,” Quebec MP Alexandre Boulerice told reporters.
“I thought we were on a really good path as of Monday, and it was disappointing to see him go public on Tuesday,” said B.C. MP Nathan Cullen. “There’s a breaking of trust on this.”
B.C. MP Kennedy Stewart agreed that Singh made the right decision.
“It’s really tough, because it’s not that somebody’s evil and somebody’s good,” he said. “There’s always shades of grey here.”