Calgary-East MLA Robyn Luff said she will not join another political party after she was kicked out of the NDP caucus for protesting “a culture of fear and discrimination.”
Luff went public with her protest on Monday after she did not sit in the legislature. She was expelled from the party hours later.
On Tuesday, the MLA issued a statement: “I am very disappointed in the decision of the NDP to remove me from Caucus,” Luff began.
“Since I have come out publicly, I have had staff members, party members, and caucus members tell me, all confidentially, that they have felt this too, but are too scared to come forward, and I will not breach their trust in me. The greatest blow of all is to be told my fellow NDP colleagues have voted me out, and that they are all complicit, every one of them.”
Luff also announced she will not join another party or run in next year’s election.
To explain her displeasure with the party, the now independent MLA complained about a number of issues she was not allowed to speak about publicly. Luff cited the Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act and Early Learning Screening.
“Every time I bring [the Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act] up I am told it’s not on the to do list and that I can't ask questions about it in [Question Period].”
“Many children in East Calgary would benefit from Early Learning Screening. I have had meetings with the Minister, and was told a pilot project was being worked on- but not to ask questions about it in estimates because ‘we don't want to do the opposition's research for them’.”
Luff said she will send a letter to The Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly to suggest changes.
