The Ontario NDP's provincial council — its governing body between conventions — rejected a move to invite Independent MPP Sarah Jama back to the NDP caucus, 130 votes to 60, sources told The Trillium Saturday.
However, the council did approve a motion to fight the legislature's official censure of Jama, which removed her ability to speak in parliament.
Sarah Jama was kicked out of the Ontario NDP caucus last month after she issued a statement on X Oct. 10 that called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas, blamed the violence on "settler colonialism," and called Israel an "apartheid" state. At the time, horrific video and photos of the attack were dominating media coverage and social media but Jama's statement did not include any condemnation of Hamas.
According to NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Jama was removed from caucus not for that statement or her view on the Israel-Hamas war, but for repeatedly taking "unilateral actions" that surprised party leadership and "undermined the trust" of her colleagues and "contributed to unsafe work environments for staff."
Stiles said she'd come to an agreement with Jama "that included working together in good faith with no surprises," so that the MPP could remain in caucus, and Jama broke it.
The last of those surprises was a speech she gave in the house on Oct. 23 on the motion to censure her. At the time, an NDP source said Jama had sought help from the NDP with the speech, but then didn't read what had been prepared, surprising Stiles. While the NDP is calling for a ceasefire, "apartheid" and "occupation" weren't part of the original script. Another surprise was serving the premier with a libel notice without telling the party first.
Jama's ouster roiled some of the party's left flank, including some allies in the labour movement.
But at the provincial council meeting in Toronto on Saturday, those who supported a motion from her Hamilton Centre riding association to invite her back to caucus were outnumbered by a little over two to one.
Erin Morrison, a former NDP communications director who remains active in the party, said there was a "good discussion" in the room over the motion.
"The vote ultimately, overwhelmingly, made it clear that they would like to have Jama continue to sit as an independent — meaning they supported the move that Marit Stiles made when she asked her to sit as an independent," she said.
She added that the delegates there seemed to have a good understanding that Jama wasn't kicked out for her position on the war, but for her "insubordination" and "the lack of caucus solidarity," which hasn't always been clear to everyone.
While the Jama motion was defeated, another passed that said Stiles should provide clarity to members about how caucus members are disciplined, sources said, as did another to continue the fight against the Jama's censure.
According to an email provided by a party source, Stiles wrote to Jama about that Wednesday, responding to a letter Jama had sent the week prior.
"While we do not agree on all of the points raised in your letter, the Ontario NDP Caucus has consistently opposed the censure motion brought by the Conservative Party. We have been unequivocal in our position that it was an extreme measure to bar you from participating in the legislature on behalf of your constituents. We maintain that position," it says.
"Our caucus legislative staff have reviewed options that could be taken to reverse the censure. I understand these options are extremely limited given the government's majority. I have asked caucus legislative staff to reach out to you to share some of the information they have gathered and to discuss further."
Staff reached out the next day, the source said.
Jama addressed the issue on X, after she'd criticized Stiles and her team for not having "reached out around reconciliation or conversations about 'keeping doors open.'" After another party member questioned that on the basis of the email, Jama replied that it's "bad faith to conflate a response to a legal letter by my lawyers on the judicial review (of the censure) as 'keeping the door open' re: (her) ejection from caucus."
"There is so much more I could say and haven't said in response to being kicked out and what led to it," she continued. "There is so much I could say about allegations re: safety and being called difficult. I'm being respectful. I'm just asking y'all to stop lying because I have receipts."
The Trillium was unable to reach Jama prior to publication.
