Liberal MP cleared of sex assault allegation

HALIFAX • An Ontario Liberal MP who was accused of sexual assault during a visit to a Halifax bar during the party’s recent policy convention says his name has been cleared.

Francis Drouin, the 34-year-old representative for the eastern Ontario riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, said in a statement Tuesday that Halifax police have determined the matter is closed.

“I am pleased it has been resolved based on the facts. I have no further comment,” Drouin said.

Last month, police confirmed they were investigating a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted at the Halifax Alehouse on April 21, but did not specifically name Drouin.

Police said Tuesday that the matter was investigated by its sexual assault unit and no charges were laid.

Drouin had issued a statement a few days after the incident detailing his version of what happened, calling the whole thing a case of mistaken identity.

Drouin — who was in Halifax for the federal Liberal policy convention — said that while he was chatting with friends, he heard a woman shouting from another part of the bar.

“While I was standing facing the bar, with my credit card in hand, I heard what I believed to be a woman’s voice coming from another area of the establishment behind me, yelling that her buttocks had been grabbed,” the statement said.

“Her comments were clearly not directed towards me.”

Drouin said he then shouted for the alleged perpetrator to be evicted from the bar, paid for his own drink with his credit card and proceeded with his friends to another area of the establishment.

That’s when he said a woman with a cellphone “mistakenly” tried to connect him to the alleged incident. “We told her that she was mistaken. We left the establishment shortly thereafter,” the statement said. “I am confident that the facts of the issue will lead to a clear outcome.”

Drouin said he had proactively informed the Prime Minister’s Office and was cooperating fully with police.