#metoo may have political parties on guard
Where is this going to end, this parade of politicians forced to resign because of allegations of sexual harassment?
The procession started Wednesday in Nova Scotia with the resignation of Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie, moved to Ontario with PC Leader Patrick Brown stepping down, and ended Thursday in Calgary with Liberal MP Kent Hehr quitting the federal cabinet.
The parade also includes Hehr’s colleague, and the only other Liberal MP in Calgary, Darshan Kang, who quit the Liberal caucus last August after complaints of sexual harassment surfaced.
You have to wonder if political parties across the country are suddenly delving into the history of their sitting politicians, getting ready to jettison those who could prove an embarrassment.
Whispers and rumours about particular politicians that were dismissed by a party in the past would suddenly be cause for concern and reason for a discreet internal investigation. Followed, if necessary, by a quiet resignation.
The allegations against Hehr and the others have not been proven and Kang, for one, denies any wrongdoing. Both are under investigation by independent officials.
Social media, of course, has exploded, with many people expressing outrage while others complain of a witch hunt or character assassination, or suggest a man in a wheelchair such as Hehr can’t really be guilty of sexual harassment.
We’re not talking here about a politician telling an awkward joke that one time, but about women complaining of powerful men acting badly on multiple occasions.
This kind of behaviour used to be ignored or tolerated. Not any more.
Political consultant and strategist Stephen Carter told reporters last August, after Kang’s resignation from caucus, that being accused of chronic sexual misconduct is pretty much a political death sentence.
“We have seen other politicians go off for addiction issues and things like that, outside of their control, but sexual harassment is well within your control,” said Carter.
“One allegation, you can say is something that never happened or there is a false accusation, but when it becomes a pattern, it becomes almost impossible to survive.”
And it does serious damage to a party, too. Not to mention how it can affect the political landscape.
What, for example, will happen in Ontario with the resignation of Brown as official Opposition leader less than five months before a provincial election?
What will happen to the federal Liberals in Calgary with both their MPs under a cloud?
This is a huge issue for political parties. You have to think they’ll be looking for ways to screen potential candidates for a history of sexual misconduct. That’ll be easier said than done. Parties already have a rigorous process for weeding out rotten or embarrassing apples.
The old Wildrose party had a 38-page questionnaire that poked and prodding a prospective candidate’s history.
It was a political colonoscopy that demanded anyone who wanted to run for the Wildrose give the party signed permission to see any records on the candidate held by Revenue Canada, Immigration Canada, the Department of National Defence and the Canada Border Services Agency.
Under the heading “Full Disclosure” was this question: “Is there anything in your personal, professional or business background that could cause embarrassment for the party?”
That’s pretty much a common catch-all question parties ask. The Alberta NDP has a similar query in its 33-page questionnaire for potential candidates.
Somebody guilty of sexual harassment of course should answer “Yes” and disqualify themselves. But what if they don’t think their behaviour was wrong? (A recent scandal in London, England, involving a high-flying men-only charity fundraiser revealed how more than a few of the men viewed their drunken harassment of the female hostesses as simply having a good time out.)
The United Conservative Party, by the way, won’t reveal its screening questionnaire, saying the candidate selection process hasn’t started yet.
All parties will be looking for ways to screen potential candidates who would prove an embarrassment.
But in the era of #MeToo, where women are speaking out against sexual harassment, you have to wonder if more elected politicians will be forced to resign.