MP Erin Weir won鈥檛 rule out running as an independent in 2019 should he fail to secure the NDP nomination in his riding.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a possibility,鈥� Weir said during an interview with Don Martin on CTV鈥檚 Power Play Thursday.
鈥淚鈥檇 have to talk to local New Democrats to see if that鈥檚 the direction they want me to take.鈥�
An independent investigation in May found complaints of harassment and sexual harassment against Weir were 鈥渟ustained by the evidence.鈥� After Weir spoke to media about the allegations, Singh said the Saskatchewan MP was 鈥渦nwilling to take appropriate responsibility for his actions鈥� and booted him from caucus.
Weir believes he has since taken ownership of his actions.
鈥淚 completed sensitivity training to improve my reading of social cues. I鈥檝e also really reflected on how to have the kind of frank debates that are fundamentally important in politics without making anyone feel uncomfortable,鈥� Weir said.
Now he believes he should be welcomed back into the NDP fold. And he isn鈥檛 alone in his effort.
A slew of Saskatchewan New Democrats have been leading the charge to get Weir鈥檚 name back under the NDP banner. A whopping 67 former NDP MPs and MLAs from the province signed a letter in support of Weir, who plans to run for the NDP nomination in the riding he currently holds: Regina鈥擫ewvan.
While NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh rejected both the letter and Weir鈥檚 potential candidacy, Weir refused to drop the challenge.
鈥淔undamentally, I think it should be up to the NDP members in Regina鈥擫ewvan to decide who to nominate as our candidate.鈥�
However, even if Weir wins the NDP nomination fair and square, Singh still has to sign off on the nomination papers to make it official 鈥� and that鈥檚 something he鈥檚 refusing to do.
鈥淚鈥檝e made it clear that I stand by my decision,鈥� Singh said on Power Play Thursday.
鈥淚鈥檝e made my decision very clear that I鈥檓 going to defend a strong and safe workplace. My caucus has all told me they鈥檙e committed to the same thing.鈥�
While Singh鈥檚 stance proved unpopular with the 67 former NDP MPs and MLAs who penned a letter in support of Weir, a group of female New Democrat activists struck a different tone in an open letter they posted on Facebook Tuesday.
鈥淏y refusing Erin Weir鈥檚 request to be readmitted to the federal NDP caucus, Mr. Singh has done what too many other employers won鈥檛. He has demonstrated that he understands his legal obligation to provide a safe and healthy workplace,鈥� the letter reads.
This divide between New Democrats combined with party fundraising troubles and the retirement of multiple veteran NDP MPs pave a tough road ahead for Singh, according to former leader Thomas Mulcair.
"It's a really tough time for the party right now," Mulcair said on Power Play Thursday.
"No question that Mr. Singh has his work cut out for him."
Meanwhile, Weir also has his work cut out for him in trying to secure the NDP nomination in his Regina riding.
鈥淚 feel a sense of connection and obligation to hundreds of people in Regina who worked really hard to finally regain some federal NDP seats after the party was shut out federally in Saskatchewan for more than a decade,鈥� he said.
