A Manitoba politician who was ousted from the governing NDP caucus is accusing Premier Wab Kinew of lunging at him and yanking his arm during the election campaign five years ago, when the New Democrats were in Opposition.
Mark Wasyliw said he became upset at an August 2019 press conference, when Kinew said that if elected premier he would not reopen a hospital emergency department near Wasyliw’s constituency in south Winnipeg.
Wasyliw said he was upset that caucus was not consulted on the issue and he was having words with Kinew when things escalated.
“He lunged at me. He grabbed my right arm and yanked it down. He screamed at me, ‘I’m the leader! You do what I tell you to do,’” Wasyliw said this week in the legislature chamber.
He repeated the accusation Thursday while talking to reporters outside the chamber.
Kinew did not directly respond when asked about Wasyliw’s accusation at an unrelated press conference Thursday.
“I think everyone who’s been watching this issue over the past couple of weeks is seeing why our caucus has decided to move in a different direction,” Kinew said.
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“All I’m going to say is that we wish him well.”
The accusation is the latest chapter in a drama that has erupted between the former colleagues.
The NDP caucus dumped Wasyliw last month, saying it was because a colleague at Wasyliw’s law firm is representing convicted sex offender and fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
Legal groups across Canada criticized the rationale, accusing the premier of not understanding the important role defence lawyers play in ensuring people have the right to a fair trial.
Kinew apologized this week — not for the rationale, but for saying it publicly.
In the interim, Kinew and other NDP members have cited other reasons for Wasyliw’s removal from caucus — that he was not a team player and was spending too much time practising law instead of tending to his political duties.
Wasyliw rejected those accusations and countered by calling Kinew a toxic bully who has created a dysfunctional government. Kinew has denied the allegation.
The drama has taken up much of the political spotlight at a time when the NDP government is working to tout its one-year anniversary of winning the 2023 election.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives got in on the action this week, calling for an investigation into Wasyliw’s accusation of a toxic environment. The idea did not pass after a lengthy debate in the chamber.
Wasyliw now sits as an Independent and gets to fire questions at his former NDP colleagues once a week while the legislature is in session.
He said he did not file a complaint with police about the alleged 2019 altercation with Kinew, because he didn’t consider it serious enough.
Wasyliw said he’s coming forward now, because he wants people to know about the premier’s character.
“I don’t know how long (of a) time in politics I have left … and I want to make sure I right a few wrongs on my way out. And I think Manitobans need a full picture of what they’re dealing with.”