Premier Greg Selinger is ready to welcome Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen and other caucus dissidents back into the government fold.
Following his historic win in last weekend’s NDP leadership race, Selinger told the Globe and Mail that he wants all New Democrats to return to caucus meetings.
“I do. I can’t be any more direct than that,” he told the newspaper on Tuesday.
But when or even if that will happen was not clear.
Selinger told the Globe and Mail that a caucus committee has been struck to examine how Pettersen and six colleagues may return as full-fledged government MLAs, if they so choose.
“A big part of it is making sure that there are doors that people can go through if they want to contribute,” Selinger said. “It’s very important that we keep those doors available and unlocked.”
Until now, the newspaper pointed out, Selinger had been non-committal about the future of seven MLAs with whom he has clashed.
Six of those MLAs, including Pettersen, were barred from caucus meetings last fall after publicly calling on Selinger to resign. In an unusual move, they were allowed to continue sitting as New Democrats.
A seventh MLA, Christine Melnick, was ejected from caucus entirely more than a year ago after accusing Selinger of making her a scapegoat in a mini scandal. Melnick has since been accepted back into caucus, but without the right to attend meetings.
Pettersen told The Reminder this week that he is confident he would return to caucus meetings, saying the decision was up to Selinger.
“I can’t predict what will happen, but I’m confident I know the answer, but I have to wait for him to say it,” Pettersen said.
Pettersen said he again has confidence in Selinger, who held onto the NDP leadership – and premiership – by just 33 votes last Sunday, March 8.
Pettersen had endorsed Theresa Oswald for the party leadership. She lost on the second ballot to Selinger. Thompson MLA Steve Ashton was out after the first ballot.
