With misconduct probe behind him, Hehr says he’ll run again
Liberal MP Kent Hehr says he plans to run again in the 2019 federal election following the conclusion of a report into accusations of sexual harassment.
He hr issued a statement Wednesday saying that the investigation into his conduct was complete and that he would remain a member of the Liberal government caucus but not be returning to the federal cabinet.
He apologized to Kristin Raworth, who in January accused Hehr of making sexually inappropriate comments to her when he was an MLA and she was an Alberta legislature staffer a decade ago, saying the report showed he had clearly made her uncomfortable.
In an interview Thursday, Hehr said he can get past the controversy and will seek re-election in his Calgary Centre riding.
“I’m a Liberal in Alberta. I’ve won three elections here. I’ve never chosen the easy path and I’ve always gone to the voters in an erstwhile fashion to earn their votes and I will do that in 2019 as well,” said Hehr, who served two terms as a Liberal MLA before being elected to the House of Commons in 2015.
At least four candidates are seeking the Conservative nomination in Calgary Centre and the seat is expected to be a top target for the Tories.
Hehr believes he can also fend off any potential challenge for the Liberal nomination in the innercity riding.
“I have every confidence I will be the candidate of record,” he said.
In the last federal election, Hehr and Darshan Kang became the first two Liberal MPs elected in Calgary since 1968. Kang left the Liberal caucus last year over allegations of sexual harassment of a constituency office staffer but remains the MP for Calgary Skyview.
Hehr was appointed as Veterans Affairs minister in Justin Trudeau’s first cabinet but was shuffled last year to the Sport and Persons with Disabilities portfolio. He resigned from cabinet in January when Raworth made the allegations against him.
I’ve never chosen the easy path and I’ve always gone to the voters in an erstwhile fashion to earn their votes ...
Raworth said at the time she was warned when she started working for a Progressive Conservative MLA in 2008 to not be alone in an elevator with Hehr because he made inappropriate comments and made female workers feel unsafe.
She said the first time she met Hehr he called her “yummy,” and he made similar remarks or tried to brush up against her in subsequent encounters.
Hehr said he did not remember ever meeting Raworth but he took responsibility for his actions.
He also apologized to a not-publicly-identified woman who filed a complaint after the third-party investigation was launched, alleging that he had touched her inappropriately at an event. But Hehr, who is a C5 quadriplegic, said the report found that he had touched her accidentally because of a lack of control in his arms and hands.
Neither Hehr nor Raworth were provided copies of the report, which is not being made public.
But Toronto lawyer David Butt, who represented Raworth, said he and his client are satisfied with the results and confident in the investigation process.
“I’ve had conversations with the Prime Minister’s Office, as has Mr. Hehr,” he said in an interview Thursday.
“I was provided information that satisfied me that decisions were made thoughtfully.”