Ousted Calgary MLA's bullying allegations 'unfounded,' NDP caucus says

The decision to kick Calgary MLA Robyn Luff out of the Alberta NDP caucus was unanimous because MLAs believed her complaints of bullying and intimidation were "unfounded."

"I have never seen bullying on my end, and many of our members recognize and said thatthey never saw it on their end either," Calgary-Shaw MLA Graham Suchasaid on Tuesday.

'I have never seen bullying on my end'

6 years ago

Duration 0:42

NDP MLA Graham Sucha responds to questions about Robyn Luff being ousted from caucus over bullying allegations.

NDPcaucus decided to remove Luff in a meeting Monday evening, hours after the Calgary-East MLA rocked the legislature with a letter alleging bullying and intimidation of party MLAswho didn't toe the line set by Premier Rachel Notley and her staff.

Sucha, who spoke to the media on behalf of caucus, said members lost confidence in Luff because she went public with her concerns and didn't try to work them out through the proper process.

In a letter released earlier on Tuesday,Luff saidher ouster proves that bullying exists within the party, andthat her former colleagues are complicit.

"Since I have come out publicly, I have had staff members, party members and caucus members tell me, all confidentially, that they have felt this too, but are too scared to come forward, and I will not breach their trust in me," Luff said in a letter released Tuesday morning.

"The greatest blow of all is to be told my fellow NDP colleagues have voted me out, and that they are all complicit, every one of them."

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Luff told CBC'sPower & Politicsthat some of her former NDP colleagues have contactedher privately to say that they support her.

"They don't want to speak up because they're scared," Luff said in the interview Tuesday.

In her letter, Luff saidMLAs were told not to be photographed with federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and not to contact former NDPMLA Karen McPherson after she left the caucus in October 2017. McPherson joined the Alberta Party a few weeks later.

She also alleged thatMLAswere told not to speak publiclyabout opposition MLAswho had behaved inappropriately toward women, "because our own party was not without fault on the matter."

Luff said she was also disappointed in comments made by government house leader Brian Mason, who reacted to her original criticisms by saying "that's the way government works."

"I refuse to believe that the way government works is that all members of the same party have to agree in public all the time," Luff wrote. "I think that this assumption is a disservice to democracy. I believe he [Mason] shouted in opposition for years that it shouldn't work this way."

Luff not seeking re-election

Rachel Notley's office said the premier will not comment today.However, she did address the issue in question period.

Alberta Party house leader Greg Clark asked how public servants can trust the province'santi-bullying policies when the government isn't following it themselves.

"I'm obviously very disappointed with the decision that was taken by the member for Calgary-East," Notley said.

"But let me also say how proud I am of the team that sits with me here on this side of the house. As premier I could not be more fortunate.

"They are doing extraordinary jobs. They act with integrity. And they know that the hard work of change sometimes comes with good days and bad days and hard days and easy days, but they never take their eyes off the ball. Together our caucus is fighting for a better Alberta."

Earlier in the day, Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman was sent out to take questions for the government. Hoffman said she was unaware that anyone told MLAsnot to talk about incidents of inappropriate behaviour.

She says she hasn't experienced bullying or intimidation.

"If MLA Luff chooses to bring forward further information, I would definitely consider that and take it very seriously but I haven't experienced it, and my colleagues and I stand united in opposing bullying and harassment," she said.

Under legislature rules, MLAs can only be away for 10 days when the house is in session. If the absence is not due to illness, bereavement or official duties, MLAs can be fined $100 for each day they are away from the house after the 10 days are up.

First elected in Calgary-Eastin 2015, Luff said she will continue to stay away fromthe legislature.

She said she will not join any other party in the legislature and doesn't plan to run for re-election next spring.