Erin Weir determined to run for NDP despite being kicked out

This week, the leader of the federal NDP repeated his stance that he won’t be letting Regina-Lewvan MP, Erin Weir, back into the party – but Weir seems ready to test that resolve.

Weir was kicked out of the party earlier this year after an internal investigation found merit to accusations of harassment and sexual harassment, and Weir spoke about it in the media.

Last week, leader Jagmeet Singh announced he would not allow Weir to run as a New Democrat in next year’s election, and reiterated that position Tuesday.

Weir spoke with Gormley Thursday morning, beginning the interview by apologizing to those who’d made the complaints about him, saying “their feelings are valid”.

Weir said he’d completed all the training and remediation the party has asked him to do.

At the same time, Weir called it a flawed process and said people have told him he was “railroaded”.

“What it came up with were certainly findings that I can learn from, but not findings that present any kind of a threat to workplace safety as Mr. Singh is trying to say,” said Weir.

Federal parties are starting to prepare for the next federal election, expected to be held in October 2019. Weir told Gormley that he is a lifetime member of the NDP, and he fully intends to run for the party’s nomination in his riding.

Weir says if the NDP in that riding don’t vote for him, then he’ll step back – but if they do, then it’ll be a question for the leader of the party.

“What does Mr. Singh intend to do? Is he going to ignore more than 2,000 NDP members and appoint his own candidate?”

Weir didn’t say whether he would run as an independent if Singh did actually refuse to sign his nomination papers. He said if that happened he’d have to consult with members in his riding.

In the meantime, Weir said he will continue to represent his riding in the House, pointing out that as an independent, he will be a bit freer to do so.