New Brunswick New Democratic Party leader Mackenzie Thomason announced Tuesday morning he is stepping down from his role effective June 28.
Thomason, who has led the party since March 2019, told reporters it comes after party executive members allegedly asked him to step down due to his age, financial status and membership in CUPE Local 1253.
The party has little appetite to engage with union members, Thomason claims. He said union members, in turn, do not have the confidence to vote for the NDP.
Thomason said he is disheartened about stepping down.
“It has become very clear to me that the party is not willing or is not able — and I do believe it is more the former — to support a young union member as leader of this party, which in my mind is troublesome,” said Thomason.
Thomason said the party will not be de-registered, noting that council will appoint an interim leader on June 25. Once that happens, Thomason said he would spend those three days ensuring a smooth and just leadership transition.
According to Thomason’s claims, tensions among executive members have been building over the last three months. He said the party has been “evenly split” about passing policies, such as LGBTQ sex education and “de-white washing” history textbooks in schools.
But, he does not believe members take issue with the policies themselves.
“I believe it is the issue of who is trying to put them forward,” he said.
“I want to see these policies pass, and there are many New Democrats that want to see these policies passed, but due to the animosity between leadership, half of the executive and all of the council, we have not been able to get that done.”
Thomason said he is committed to progressive values and ensuring New Brunswickers access the public services they need. If the party hopes to gain seats in the legislature during the 2024 provincial election, he said it “needs to figure out what it wants.”
“This party was built by labour. It was built by workers and for us to turn our back on them now is shameful,” said Thomason.
“I am hoping that in the coming leadership race, which I am hoping is sometime in the spring of next year to give candidates the time to actually campaign and have a contested race, this party really needs to decide what it wants.”
Executive reactions
Saly Davis, a member of the New Brunswick NDP’s executive team, said members have called for Thomason’s resignation 16 times since April. Davis states that many other members, such as the party’s administrative team, resigned, citing an inability to work collaboratively with Thomason and his alleged lack of accountability.
Davis denied Thomason’s claims and said his departure means party members can now work towards regaining the people who left.
“I am so excited to see who puts their hat in for the leadership race,” said Davis.
“At the end of the day, it is not about who wants to be elected. It is about who is chosen by the people whom they feel actually represents their voice.”
In an emailed statement to our newsroom, New Brunswick NDP president Cyprien Okana thanked Thomason for his three years as party leader and wrote that members will take this opportunity to “establish a new foundation.”
He added the upcoming convention in July will allow the party to “once again become the conscience of this province.”
“The NB NDP is committed to giving a voice to New Brunswickers who are struggling to pay their rents, fill their gas tanks, feed their children, pay for their medications,” wrote Okana.
“It is also determined to defend public services and to propose economic alternatives to ensure the recovery of our economy after the COVID-19 pandemic.”
