Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson says he is not behind any efforts - unfolding in social media and on the Internet - to push NDP leader Carole James out, or reinstate himself.
Simpson, who has been arguing internally that the NDP were not taking an aggressive-enough policy push, was kicked out of the NDP caucus last week by leader Carole James.
A "Return Bob Simpson to the NDP Caucus" facebook page has been created, which has attracted more than 300 supporters. A website has also sprung up promoting NDP Delta North MLA Guy Gentner as alternate leader to Carole James. The website, created by supporters who do not name themselves, say their move is to let B.C. New Democrats "know there is a movement for change within the party." The website creators say that they have no endorsement from Gentner, a former Delta city councillor and bus driver.
Simpson said the only thing he is doing is making himself available to talk to any NDP MLAs who may have questions over what transpired in his expulsion from caucus.
In dismissing the Cariboo North MLA last week, James said that through his public comments, Simpson had made it clear he would rather criticize the party's work than contribute to it. "He has made it clear that he does not want to be part of our team," she said in a prepared statement.
James was referring to Simpson's criticism of her speech recently at the Union of B.C. Municipalities. In a column posted on a Cariboo media website, Simpson criticized B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell for not providing any concrete plans for the province. But he also said that James had little concrete to offer the municipal delegates at the convention.
James has received support from some NDP MLAs, but others, including former NDP cabinet minister Corky Evans, have spoken in support of Simpson.
The Cariboo MLA has now found himself on the distant sidelines as the NDP began a three-day policy retreat at Simon Fraser University on Monday.
Instead, Simpson is meeting with his Cariboo North constituency association in an emergency session on Monday. They will be discussing his dismissal, as well as whether to move up a general vote on a resolution put forward by the constituency executive to recommend a full leadership convention in 2011. That vote is now scheduled for Nov. 5.
The Cariboo North NDP constituency association has about 200 members, although that usually rises to 300 during elections. Normally, about 30 to 50 members would attend a general meeting, but there may be more interest given the issues, noted Simpson.
A two-term MLA who lives in Quesnel, Simpson has said he doesn't think the NDP has a winning strategy. He has pointed to the fact that despite the hammering the governing Liberals and Campbell are receiving over the introduction of the HST this summer, the NDP don't appear to be gaining any traction. Since being dumped from the caucus, Simpson has also said that after seven years of leading the NDP party, polls show that two thirds of voters don't support James as potential premier or have no opinion of her.
