The federal New Democratic Party has lost an Ontario MP, and a central issue is party leader Thomas Mulcair’s vow to reinstate the long-gun registry if elected prime minister.
Thunder Bay-Superior North two-term NDP MP Bruce Hyer caught his colleagues by surprise this week by announcing he was leaving the caucus to sit as an independent in Parliament.
He took his new seat yesterday beside Independent and Green Party leader Elizabeth May, as far from the speaker as it is possible to get in the House of Commons.
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Hyer, first elected in 2008 and re-elected last year despite a Conservative focus on his northwestern Ontario riding, was one of two NDP MPs to vote with the Conservative government to scrap the long-gun registry.
Soon after being elected leader, Mulcair said he would reinstate the registry if elected to power.
Hyer cited that decision as one of his main reasons for bolting the party.
In a statement that he meant to give in the Commons Tuesday before the party got wind of his message and pulled him from the speaker’s list, Hyer said he promised his voters he would speak for them, but party discipline made that impossible.
“Instead of co-operation and compromise, voters often see mindless solidarity where political parties are always right and voters are always wrong,” said the 65-year-old, who won almost 50 percent of the vote in 2011.
“One example is the long-gun registry, where there has been no real compromise at all. Mr. Mulcair has made it clear he will bring back the long gun registry and will use the (parliamentary) whip.”
Hyer also complained that he did not receive an NDP shadow cabinet position, suggesting it was punishment for his gun registry vote. As well, he saw no flexibility in Mulcair’s climate change position.
“I am concerned that Mr. Mulcair does not seem willing to co-operate with other parties on important issues,” said Hyer’s statement.
Mulcair told reporters the MP refused to play by the rules of caucus solidarity.
“He doesn’t believe that he has to follow the party line,” the new NDP leader said.
“I’ve said very clearly to him, because he asked me the question in writing and I answered him in writing, that there will be times when I’ll have to impose a decision that is the collective decision of our caucus.”
Hyer said he will continue to vote with the NDP on most issues and hopes Mulcair becomes prime minister, but he wants the freedom to deviate from the party line if that is what his constituents expect.
His defection reduces the NDP opposition to 101 seats in the Commons.
