Call it a war of the oranges.
Nova Scotia NDP president Bill Matheson and vice-president Judy Swift have both stepped down from their positions with the Party’s executive.
The resignations happened at a meeting this past Saturday. In an email subsequently sent to the NDP’s provincial council, Swift blames her departure on the actions and attitude of leader Gary Burrill.
A copy of the email shared with The Coast criticizes Burrill’s “judgment, his fiscal prudence, his understanding of and respect for the Party’s processes and his over-reliance on the opinions of a small group of loyalists.”
Although she strongly believes in the party’s direction, its caucus and “an exceptional group of MLAs,” Swift writes that she no longer has confidence in their leader.
“His focus on what he believes to be a ‘mission’—which might otherwise be a good characteristic—has become a liability which blinds him to his own shortcomings and hypocrisy,” she writes. “It has led him to inhabit a Trump-like world of alternate facts.”
Swift was unable to be reached for comment. Matheson declined to provide any additional comment other than confirming he had resigned.
In a phone interview Monday evening, Burrill tells The Coast that “serious disagreement and debate” are a vital part of how the NDP operates.
He only has kind words for the former executives, even if he does disagree with some of the criticisms of his character.
“It is a very serious impugning of character and motivation, in her view of me,” he says of Swift’s Donald Trump comparison. “It is not a view I share of her. I think she dedicates a great deal of herself to our party and I’m one of many people who appreciate it.”
A former MLA for the riding of Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley, Burrill ran a successful campaign for the Party leadership in February 2016. He was without a seat at Province House until this past May’s election, when he unseated Joachim Stroink for Halifax Chebucto.
In her email, Swift writes that she and Matheson spent the past 18 months effectively working as unpaid office staff while money needed for party support went to Burrill’s operations. The former vice-president states that she spent “countless stress-filled hours” on tasks she never thought she would have to deal with, and “many sleepless nights” worrying about the physical and mental health of her colleagues.
During the weeks leading up to this month’s annual general meeting, Swift says she and other executives spent unpaid time away from their families in order to be physically present in the Party office.
“These are burdens volunteers should not be asked to bear. But we have been operating in what amounts to crisis mode, as the result of one person’s decisions,” Swift writes. “I would also like to add that we have received neither acknowledgement nor thanks from the leader for these sacrifices.”
David Wallbridge, the co-chair of the NDP’s fundraising committee, was at the executive meeting when Matheson and Swift resigned and defends Burrill’s leadership. He says he’s surprised at the language in the vice-president’s email.
“I guess, for me personally, it [was] the exact opposite of what my experience has been,” says Wallbridge. “The comparison to our friends south-of-the-border and their president right now were totally over-the-top and as far as I can tell really uncalled for. It’s unfortunate.”
The executive and its various standing committees govern the Party in between quarterly meetings of the larger provincial council. Wallbridge is himself a past president from before Burrill’s reign. He downplays the conflict allegations made by Swift and says any problems with the Party’s leadership are isolated to the two resigning members
“I would say that since Gary got elected, people in the party are feeling a lot more positive.”
But Swift and Matheson aren’t the only high-level members of the NDP executive to leave in recent weeks. Secretary Mike Poworoznyk resigned earlier this month after nearly four years in the role. He was unable to be reached for comment.
Another member of the executive is also backing-up Swift’s accusation that Burrill rewards personal loyalty over competence. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they say that the NDP leader has little regard for anyone except a small choir of devoted followers.â¨â¨
“Gary may act like he is a man of the people, but he has a very different side of him that only a few are allowed to see,” the executive says over email. “In the end, everything he does is about him and his agenda.”
Burrill says it’s a hard assessment for him to stomach.
⨓Anybody offering leadership of any kind would feel great regret to hear such an opinion expressed of them by anyone in their party,” he says. “Certainly I regret to think that anyone in our party would hold that view of me.”
The NDP’s provincial council will elect an interim president and vice-president at its next meeting in January.
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This article appears in Nov 23-29, 2017.
Burrill seems to want to win elections, and also to move beyond the neoliberal consensus with the end goal of actually helping Nova Scotians. If the NDP exec can’t get behind this, then of course they should resign. Enough with the third-place also-rans. Let’s build a better future.
Careful Jacob, this article seems a little balanced and unbiased. I read it and learned some facts and didn’t feel like I was having the authors personal opinion rammed down my throat. If you keep this up long enough some people might think you’re a credible journalist and then you’ll be out of work with the Coast.
In all seriousness, who gives a fuck?
Burrill acts like he is from the planet Zontar much of the time, or on really potent drugs. But seriously, whenever the NDP periodically self-destructs, that can only be a good thing for the majority of us.
I have never seen a party as delusional about how to win – or not lose – elections as the NDP in Nova Scotia (provincial branch of the federal party included). They act as if politics is a parlour game for 12-year-olds. Burrill is being a leader and promoting his vision like leaders do. I don’t think it’s a particularly effective vision, but he is, I repeat, the LEADER. Good riddance to anyone who can’t grasp that simple fact.
Gary Burrill has shown concern for the environment, education, low income Nova Scotians, among other humanitarian areas. I have seen quite a few examples that indicate he is genuinely committed to actualizing programs to address these areas. As a volunteer, you don’t get paid. That’s what being a volunteer means. Can’t comment from inside the party but I’m thinking that anyone who compares Gary Burrill with Donald Trump seems to be living in an alt fact world herself. We’re in way over our heads (in water) in these parts with climate change and Burrill and Thomas Trappenburg are the only party leaders who have a clue about this dire situation. The Greens are starting to win in PEI. Perhaps NDP and Greens should form a coalition in NS to win here.
I’m curious of the people who were interviewed that “had no issue” with Burrill, if they are part of this mysterious inner-circle of “yes” people? So far I haven’t seen any difference between this guy and any other former NDP leader. Lots of promises, hitting all the public interest boxes (education, health, the environment) but having absolutely no clue how to actually deal with these issues in any concrete sense.
The NDP will never get elected to power with Burrill as leader. Reading between the lines, his religious background is what rubs the more secular party members the wrong way. hence the use of the word “choir” by the anonymous source is no coincidence. That being said, the party needs a younger more youth savvy leader to guide them to into the future. Tim Houston is going to be the next premier because of an ‘anyone but McNeil campaign.’
the NDP will never rule this province..Like in Ontario they had one shot at it and blew it bad..they are not a party of the people and if almost all your executive committee resigns it shows a very flawed leader. MacNeil is not a good premier by a long shot but he still is the lesser of the 3 evils…
Personally at this point I don’t think it matters who gets in,because your only as good as your promise.I think N.S is sick and tired. of all the b.s we are fed.We go out we vote we believe the partty of our choose will stand up for the underdog .They all have money to send in aid to other countries,or millions for a damn fairy.But have no money to invest in our 3rd world Healthcare,or money to get the homeless of our streets.Right here in Hailfax you have 2 parent families working their butts off trying to support their family and some of them are standing in line at food Banks.Their is really something wrong.