SASK. NDP WEIGHS IN
Weir welcome at events
EX-NDP MP Erin Weir would be welcomed at provincial party events by Saskatchewan leader Ryan Meili.
Meili, who when named NDP leader in March was joined on stage by Weir, said, “There is no problem with someone attending events. Those are public events, or member events. Unless there was some specific complaint or specific cause to change that approach, I don’t see why you would change that.”
Weir, who is the Regina-lewvan MP, was banished from the federal NDP caucus and barred from running under the federal party banner in any election by national NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
In a letter to Weir last week, Singh said he is not confident the Saskatchewan MP wouldn’t repeat the harassing behaviour that originally got him kicked out of the NDP caucus last spring. Singh rejected the MP’S request to be readmitted to the NDP caucus and said he won’t approve Weir’s candidacy for the 2019 election.
After a complaint was made against Weir earlier this year, an investigation was launched. It found one claim of harassment and three claims of sexual harassment against Weir were sustained — all of which were deemed to be “on the less serious end of the spectrum,” involving the MP standing too close or failing to read nonverbal cues in social settings.
Singh’s decision has been criticized heavily by Weir’s supporters, who include 67 former New Democrat MPS and MLAS from Saskatchewan who have written to all NDP members of Parliament, accusing Singh of denying Weir due process and unfairly maligning his character, while flouting the party ’s constitutional rules for dealing with harassment complaints.
Meili said there was no discussion about that letter between the provincial NDP’S sitting MLAS and the former politicians who signed it.
“I don’t think it’s my place as the leader of the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan to interfere with decisions of the federal leader. I certainly wouldn’t appreciate it if he was telling me how to act with my caucus,” Meili said on Monday.
When Meili was asked if he felt Weir, who has previously supported him politically, was being unfairly maligned, the party leader dodged the question. Instead he spoke about his own party’s efforts to ensure there is a clear process for allegations to come forward and due processes to be put in place.
“But it’s certainly not my place, with not having all the information, to step in and make a statement about Mr. Singh’s choices,” said Meili.
Pressed on whether he thought Weir faced due process within the federal party, Meili said it “wouldn’t be helpful or appropriate” for him to comment on Singh’s comments or decisions before again saying he didn’t “have all the facts.”
Meili did say he had endeavoured to find out about the due process Weir went through before being ousted from the federal ranks, but said he is not privy to all the information and the final decision was Singh’s to make.