OTTAWA — Outgoing New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair is expected to face some pointed questions from MPs Wednesday over his decision to remain as leader for up to two years while his replacement is chosen.
Mulcair, who lost a confidence vote by a 52-48 margin at the party’s leadership review convention in Edmonton on the weekend, surprised many MPs and delegates by announcing his decision to remain the party’s face for an extended period.
Vancouver MP Don Davies has publicly expressed his concern about Mulcair’s decision, and sources say he’s far from alone.
“It threw everybody for a loop,” said one NDP source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Delegates passed a motion Sunday allowing the leadership vote to take place up to two years from now, though a consensus is emerging that a new leader should be picked in 18 months.
Davies, the MP for Vancouver Kingsway, indicated on Monday that some members of caucus may have a different view than Mulcair about the wisdom of showcasing for up to two years a leader who was rejected by his own grass roots.
“We have to have an interim leader now,” he told reporters. “Whether that’s Tom or someone else is a subject of discussion.
“In my view, you know, it’s going to be very difficult for Mr. Mulcair to stay on until our next permanent leader is chosen in a year and a half.”
Vancouver MP Don Davies has publicly expressed his concern about Mulcair’s decision to remain as leader for up to two years.
Davies, a party moderate and former labour lawyer known to be one of several veteran MPs unhappy with Mulcair’s leadership, has not returned calls from The Vancouver Sun.
But Davies left little doubt in a media scrum Monday that he considered the vote by delegates decisive.
“We invited Tom to make his case as to why he should lead us, and he got 48 per cent. And you know, numbers are real.”
However, House leader Peter Julian has defended Mulcair’s decision and said it was consistent with both the party’s constitution and the actions of former leaders Audrey McLaughlin and Alexa McDonough.
“Tom is extraordinarily effective in the House of Commons and he will make a difference in holding the government to account,” said the MP for New Westminster-Burnaby.
Mulcair is scheduled to speak to the media Wednesday after the caucus meeting.
More than prestige and clout is on the line when it comes to party leaders. While ordinary MPs earn a base salary of $170,400, Mulcair gets a bonus of $57,800 as leader of the third party in the House of Commons.
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