The provincial council of the New Democratic Party's Ontario wing has endorsed the decision to suspend the membership of Canada's best-known union leader, Buzz Hargrove.

The provincial party issued a statement saying members from across the province voted "overwhelmingly" on Saturday to support the ouster of Hargrove, the outspoken president of the Canadian Autoworkers.

The wing's executive caused a controversy in mid-February when it declared Hargrove persona non grata, even though he has been in the NDP for 41 years.

They said Hargrove had violated the provincial party's constitution, which bans supporting and campaigning for another political party.

Hargrove made headlines during the Jan. 23 federal election by supporting Liberal Leader Paul Martin and urging union members to vote for Liberal candidates in ridings where New Democrats had little chance of being elected.

His suspension generated almost as much attention, as even federal NDP Leader Jack Layton criticized the move and said he would have preferred the issue to be fully debated.

The move by the Ontario wing also cuts Hargrove's ties to the federal NDP.

Hargrove has argued that he should not have been expelled because the CAW endorsed the idea of strategic voting.

The provincial party said on Saturday that Hargrove can regain his membership if he writes a letter indicating he won't endorse candidates for other parties in the future.

But Hargrove has already said he doesn't think he has anything to apologize for and has no intention of writing such a letter.