Dale Kirby made professional disagreements personal, says former teachers' union head

A former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Associationsays he found Dale Kirby difficult to work with.

Jim Dinn, who recently retired, says that while he didn't experience bullying from Kirby, it was difficult to find common ground with the recently displaced minister.

Kirby is currently sitting as an independent after allegations of intimidation from inside the Liberal caucus.

"It could become personal and there was really no need of it," said Dinn.

"Now, whether I felt bullied or whether the association felt bullied, not really but it was just what we saw as pure childishness on behalf of a minister at the time."

In question period on Tuesday, PC MHA David Brazil asked the premier why the government didn't do anything when Dinnand the NLTA called for Premier Dwight Ball to remove Kirby in November of 2016.

Dinn was upset over remarks Kirby made that accused Dinn and the NLTA of "peddling in ignorance" when he complained about how teachers often had to scrounge for resources for the classroom.

At the time, Premier Dwight Ball said "Minister Kirby has my full confidence."

Acting Education Minister Al Hawkins answered for the premier. He saidthat the premier acted on concerns about Kirby as soon as an official allegation was made inside his party.

No tolerance for personal attacks

Dinn said Mr. Kirby stood out among all theEducation Ministers he dealt with as president of the NLTA.

"We had differences with other ministers of education, but for the most part, it didn't result in that sort of name calling, from the minister," he said.

"We could usually have the conversation behind the scenes and work that out."

But not so with Kirby, and when it starts to become personal,Dinnsaid you could look at it as bullying.

"I think Minister Kirby was the first minister to refer to us as 'peddlers of ignorance'and result in that kind of personal attack or insult," he said.

CBC News attempted to reach Kirby for comment and received no response.