After the sudden death of a Conservative Member of Parliament yesterday, comes word of a New Democratic Party expulsion today.
The Conservative party and House of Commons was visibly moved yesterday to hear of the unexpected sudden death of a prominent member of parliament yesterday. Gord Brown, who represented the southern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands, died of a heart attack at age 57.
Today, the leader of the New Democratic Party announced that he was expelling a member of the caucus following complaints of harassment by staff.
“failed to read non-verbal cues” NDP leader Singh
NDP head, Jasmeet Singh held a news conference in the hall of Parliament to announce that after an internal investigation he had expelled Erin Weir, an MP from Saskatchewan.
Weir had been under investigation following complaints about behaviour and had been under suspension while the third party investigation was underway. That investigation indicated there were four complaints, one of harassment and three of sexual harassment.
Singh said that Weir “failed to read non-verbal cues in social situations and …his behaviour resulted in significant negative impacts on the complainants”.
Singh said that a return to caucus was a possibility if Weir had accepted full responsibility, but added that recent developments showed that Weir was “unwilling to take appropriate responsibility for his actions” and complete anti-harrassment training.
Weir said he agreed to this but that he’s being removed not because of the actual complaints but rather because he spoke to the media in response to media stories about the alleged harrassment.
In his comments he said the complaint process was “deeply flawed” and being used as political retaliation for his having criticised a former staff member over the Liberal carbon tax.
Weir says he spoke to the media because there was no guidance from the Party.
He will now be sitting as an Indepent MP.
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