Wall wading into sexual assault rumours the worst tactic in politics
Sexual harassment has never been a polite topic of conversation in the old boys’ world of the Saskatchewan legislature.
And judging by Premier Brad Wall’s sad performance on the topic in question period this week, it shouldn’t be ... albeit, not for the traditional reason. The traditional reason has largely had to do with the fact the Marble Palace is very much a big glass house where one ought not cast stones.
Every legislature has always included a few men eager to abuse their powers. It has gone on for decades. It has occurred in all political parties. And politicians have largely gotten away with it because they know it’s near impossible for reporters or anyone else to talk about incidents without fear of being sued — largely because victims are forced to live in silence for fear of the ramifications of going public.
So alleged incidents have usually been confined to the gossip/ rumour mill or sly coded heckles about “turning over the next (legislative sessional female) page” or oblique references to drunken bad behaviour at parties or in bars where a politician gets handsy with a waitress, staffer or even a female MLA colleague. Yes, a few have resulted in members being quietly removed from cabinet, but many suspected of sexual harassment have carried on to lucrative careers.
The big nuclear deterrent has always been that it has gone on in all parties. Even in the safe confines of the legislature where they are immune from the laws of libel and slander, politicians have avoided a war of accusations for fear they will escalate. No one is without shame. And that likely extends to those working for media outlets who have witnessed this societal problem in their own workplaces. There is plenty of hypocrisy to go around.
However, as legislators who pass laws, there is particular onus to recognize these are serious allegations that can destroy the lives of both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator.
Moreover, much of the rumour-mill grist involving politicians often revolves around consensual relationships. And if there are non-consensual accusations, they need to be sorted out in the courts that should not be subjected to any interference (perceived or otherwise) from the legislative body.
Wall broke every rule (unspoken or otherwise) by wading into the world of sexual assault and misconduct allegations this week. One might have hoped his intentions were sincere, positive ones in a heartfelt attempt to break the code of silence. One might hope he did so to try to open up the dialogue started by women in the #metoo movement.
Sadly, there is little to suggest this was Wall’s motivation.
He brought up the woman in the NDP making serious sexual assault allegations without permission from the woman — something for which he later apologized after an apology was demanded.
He then chose to trade in other online gossip and innuendo involving another alleged sexual assault incident. He offered no facts or proof, later justifying to reporters, it is OK to repeat unsubstantiated, online sexual assault accusations, (tweets quickly taken down) in the legislature because they were tagged #skpoli.
And his only motivation for doing so seemed to be a longbow attempt to accuse former NDP interim leader Trent Wotherspoon — the guy that
Wall doesn’t want to see leading the Opposition — of not taking action on internet gossip. This, from the premier who professes to abhor “drive-by smears” on accusations of wrongdoing at the Global Transportation Hub? Yet he had the audacity to engage in his own drive-by smear alleging Wotherspoon and the NDP did not take sexual assault accusations seriously? This was his answer to a GTH question?
Undoubtedly, New Democrats could have handled this matter better. One suspects they are also playing politics. But so is Wall.
This will go down as a low point in Brad Wall’s career.
But worst than that, it likely helps drive a serious societal issue and serious issue in politics back underground.
There is plenty of hypocrisy to go around.