Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen has been barred from attending NDP caucus meetings and participating in government decision-making as punishment for calling on Premier Greg Selinger to step down.
But Pettersen, whose penalty matches that of five other rebel MLAs, says he will continue to sit as a New Democrat and vote with the government.
“It puts me in an awkward position only because I stood up for what I believe in, and I still believe that I’m right,” said Pettersen after the decision came down last Thursday, Nov. 13.
“I still believe in what I stood up for, so if that’s what they think is good, I guess I’ll have to go by it.”
In a phone interview, Pettersen said he continues to believe that the NDP stands a better chance in the next election with a leader other than Selinger.
“The reason I stood up for what I believe in is I want the NDP to win because I’m not happy with the outcome if the Conservatives win,” he said.
Pettersen was informed of the party’s decision by NDP caucus chair Matt Wiebe. Wiebe and Selinger announced the move to the media last Thursday afternoon.
May hold on
While Pettersen is hopeful that a leadership race in March will replace
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Selinger, some observers believe the premier may well hold onto his title.
“That’s going to be up to the membership and there’s still time for change,” said Pettersen in response to that possibility. “We don’t know who officially is running yet.”
Pettersen said he wouldn’t have called for Selinger’s resignation unless he felt there would be quality challengers for the leadership.
“I think there’s some great leaders within our party that could step up and change the rut that we’re in, and I believe those leaders will step up,” said the backbench MLA.
This marks the first time since 1999, when the NDP took power under Gary Doer, that Flin Flon’s MLA has not been privy to government caucus meetings.
In that same boat are now-former cabinet ministers Stan Struthers, Erin Selby, Theresa Oswald, Jennifer Howard and Andrew Swan, who all recently suggested Selinger step down.
Pettersen upped the ante, however, by becoming the first MLA to use the word “resign,” according to CBC.
Selinger has been blamed for the NDP’s sagging poll numbers and for failing to sell to the public last year’s controversial one-point PST increase.
Pettersen and the former cabinet ministers – dubbed by the press as the Gang of Five – had faced potential expulsion from the party.
In a news release, the NDP caucus said the six dissident MLAs “breached principles of solidarity” and should “be withdrawn from caucus engagement, by individual and mutual understanding, in meetings, committees and discussions.”
The MLAs may retain their caucus support services.
Pettersen, a retired teacher, was elected Flin Flon MLA in a landslide in 2011. His victory was part of a historic fourth consecutive mandate for the New Democrats.
