N.S. Tory leader dismissed over single incident in December
The president of Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservative Party says she was told by “multiple sources” about a single incident involving inappropriate behaviour by former leader Jamie Baillie.
Tara Miller released a statement as calls intensified Friday for more information on why Baillie was suddenly dismissed from his post on Wednesday.
“I was made aware by multiple sources of allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Mr. Baillie toward one individual,” said Miller. “The only incident for which the allegation was made took place in December 2017. The PC Party promptly took action upon becoming aware of the allegation.”
Baillie was forced to quit after an investigation found he acted inappropriately and breached the legislature’s policy on workplace harassment.
On Wednesday Miller said the Tories launched an independent, third-party probe into Baillie’s behaviour after a sexual harassment claim was brought to their attention late last month by a staff person. She said caucus then gave its support to the party’s decision to seek Baillie’s resignation.
Her Friday statement clarified how the party proceeded in relation to the legislature’s harassment policy, which sets up a process that neither the “individual nor Baillie” chose to follow. But the party felt the allegations were serious enough that they warranted an investigation “due to the position of public trust the party holds,” she said.
Miller said an experienced, third-party Halifax-based lawyer conducted an investigation, and Baillie and the individual “participated fully” and were represented by legal counsel.
She said the lawyer used definitions from the legislature’s policy to make findings which concluded that Baillie was in breach.
“Those findings were delivered on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The PC Party of Nova Scotia requested and accepted the immediate resignation of Mr. Baillie on Wednesday, Jan. 24,” Miller said.
“The findings are a privileged report that will not be made publicly available, in order to protect the identity of the individual.”
The statement came as the party was besieged with media requests for more information and calls from political observers who say the public has a right to know more.