Vancouver MP Don Davies was chosen as the NDP's interim leader.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Three NDP MPs who questioned the party’s process for selecting an interim leader say they did not intend to criticize the Vancouver MP chosen for the job.
“We value and respect all our caucus colleagues, including Don Davies,” the MPs said in a statement issued Saturday.
The members are Vancouver East’s Jenny Kwan, Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan and Lori Idlout of Nunavut.
The three are among seven remaining NDP MPs after the party suffered major losses in last month’s federal election. It was the worst showing in the party’s 64-year history, leading Jagmeet Singh, who failed to win his own riding, to announce that he would step down as leader as soon as an interim one was selected.
The Globe and Mail obtained a copy of a May 10 letter the three wrote to the NDP national council and executive that raised concerns about the manner in which Mr. Davies was chosen.
In the letter, the MPs said efforts to discuss who the interim leader should be were rebuffed by the other four members of caucus. They also said the party did not provide a timeline and process in the selection of the interim leader.
In a statement, NDP national director Lucy Watson said the process to appoint Mr. Davies was “followed to the letter.”
Ms. Gazan, Ms. Idlout and Ms. Kwan did not respond Friday to requests for comment from The Globe about the criticism.
In their Saturday statement, the MPs said they wanted to invite a dialogue regarding democratic approaches to decision making.
“We were seeking to renew and discuss our concerns with the process and come to an agreement on how we move forward together.”
The party now must find a permanent leader with a leadership race expected in the coming months.