Liberal leader Justin Trudeau suspended two members of his caucus after two NDP MPs came forward with complaints

After suspending two of his own caucus members, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says the House of Commons needs to have a process to tackle incidents of personal misconduct.

“Like workplaces across this country, Parliament needs clear guidelines and procedures for dealing with allegations of serious personal misconduct of this nature.”

Trudeau made the comments at a press conference today after it was revealed that he suspended two MPs — Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti — from his caucus for personal misconduct, pending an investigation. The Liberal leader, however, would not confirm whether the allegations included sexual harassment. He said that he was leaving decisions over whether to launch a third-party investigation to Speaker Andrew Scheer.

The NDP confirmed today that the complainants are New Democrats.

Trudeau highlighted that as leader he had a duty to act.

“I realized that one of the things that we need to do is encourage and protect people who come forward with allegations like this. And that’s why I acted.”

While Andrews and Pacetti deny the allegations, Trudeau also confirmed that their nominations as candidate for the next election are suspended. Both MPs have been removed from the Liberal party website.

In a statement this afternoon, Andrews said that he encourages the speaker or the Board of Internal Economy to “establish a process without delay.” He added, “I am confident such a process will find no harassment has occurred.”

Trudeau says the allegations against the MPs were made personally and directly to him by one of the affected MPs on Oct. 28. According to a letter from Liberal Whip Judy Foote to Scheer released Wednesday, she met with both of the complainant MPs separately two days later. She added that she met separately with Pacetti and Andrews and that she wants the Board of Internal Economy to deal with this since, unlike the Senate, the House has no policy in place for dealing with sexual harassment.

Foote explains the reason it took a few days to reveal the allegations was that she and the whip of the party whose MP’s are alleging the misconduct against them needed to decide how to proceed.

“We then decided how to best handle this and certainly not between whips. We don’t have the experience or the expertise to deal with allegations of this nature, of personal misconduct of one MP to another.”

When asked about whether or not she knew of any sexual harassment, Foote demurred.

“Certainly I haven’t been harassed. Have others? I don’t know, it certainly hasn’t been brought to my attention.”

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair spoke briefly about the allegations today.

Flanked by MPs Ruth Ellen Brosseau, Niki Ashton and Mylène Freeman as well as NDP caucus chair Glenn Thibeault, Mulcair said the allegations should be treated seriously.

“We’re deeply saddened by these very serious allegations,” Mulcair told reporters on his way out of his party’s weekly caucus meeting.

“Members of Parliament from all parties have to take these matters seriously to ensure that Parliament Hill, like all workplaces, is safe and free of these breaches to the capacity to function. We have the right to live in an environment free of harassment and it is something we should all take seriously.”

Mulcair called on all parties to deal with the problem of harassment on the Hill.

“Here on Parliament Hill and in every workplace, women have a right to be in a secure work environment. Everyone who works in these places has a right to be in a secure work environment free of harassment. We want to make sure that all parties work on these issues and I think that it is something we should do together to show that it is something on which we all agree.”

Justice Minister Peter MacKay had little to say in response to the allegations.

“They’re allegations. They’re serious allegations. I think the proper authorities now have to do their work,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”

Andrews, 48, has represented the Newfoundland riding of Avalon since October 2008. He is married with two sons. Pacetti, 52, the MP for Saint-Leonard-Saint-Michel, Quebec, is also married with two children.

With files from Elizabeth Thompson

 

This article was originally published on ipolitics.ca and is reprinted here with permission through a partnership with the Canadain University Press.