NDP MP Bruce Hyer votes for a government bill to scrap the long-gun registry in the House of Commons on Feb. 15, 2012.Sean Kilpatrick
Just a week after he quit the federal NDP caucus, it sounds like Ontario MP Bruce Hyer might want back in.
Mr. Hyer announced last Monday that he would sit as an Independent, citing what he called lock-step discipline under new leader Tom Mulcair.
The Thunder Bay MP went out with a blaze of publicity, telling reporters that his failure to be named to Mr. Mulcair's shadow cabinet showed he was being punished and muzzled for voting with the Conservatives to kill the federal long gun registry.
But in a lengthy letter over the weekend to his constituency association's annual general meeting, obtained by The Canadian Press, Mr. Hyer says he's still a New Democrat and he's willing to reconsider his decision and to apologize.
Mr. Hyer defended the independent voice needed to represent his northern constituents but says in the letter he's ready — in his words — to accept most party discipline and drudgery.
A spokesman in Mr. Mulcair's office was unaware of Mr. Hyer's letter and said the MP did not speak to the NDP leader before he quit last week and hasn't approached Mr. Mulcair about returning.