Councillor defends comment

Complaint lodged over alleged sexual harassment

TRURO, N.S. – A formal sexual harassment complaint has been filed against a county councillor in Nova Scotia by a staff member at the municipality.

Colchester County District 9 Coun. Bob Pash acknowledged to the Truro News a complaint was lodged against him because of a comment he made to a staff member at the municipal Christmas Party in Debert.

But Pash was adamant his comment was intended solely as a “compliment” and was conveyed in neither a sexual nor harassing manner.

“That’s supposed to be all confidential and personally it was probably something I said that was taken the wrong way and that’s all I can tell you,” he said. “Personally, I grew up in an age where what I said was totally accepted and it was taken as a compliment. I’m 72 years old. I grew up in an age where you could say stuff like that and nobody would take offence.”

Pash said he was asked by someone at the municipality, whom he wouldn’t identify, to sign a confidentiality agreement on the issue.

“It’s all supposed to be hushhush, but when somebody asked me, you know, will you sign this thing to keep it on the hush-hush? I said ‘no’, I won’t,” he said. “I refused to. I’m me."

Pash said he didn’t even consider his comment to be out of line until his 16-year-old daughter suggested otherwise.

“I’m probably ashamed of my actions because my daughter told me that I shouldn’t have said it. But, today, as I said, too many people take things the wrong way and it wasn’t meant in the way that she perceived it,” he said. “If I had thought it would hurt somebody’s feelings or hurt whatever, then it wouldn’t have been said.”

Pash said he wasn’t trying to “hide from or deny” what he said, but he is waiting to see what the official outcome will be, such as being requested to issue a formal apology.

Legal advice is being sought by the municipality on the matter and Pash said it is his understanding the intent is to have the issue resolved early in the new year, although he doesn’t feel his position as a councillor should be affected.

“I mean, they can’t do anything to me because there is no code of conduct in place in this county. But we’re in the process of doing one,” he said. “But I feel bad that you have to watch every tiny thing that you say in today’s world.”

Mayor Christine Blair said council had been informed by staff a complaint was lodged, although she was not aware of Pash’s involvement until contacted by a reporter.

“Council was not advised of any names,” she said. “I can’t speak on anything with regards to personnel issues because that is one of the things that we have to maintain a level of confidentiality about."

Pash maintains his position his comment was intended as a compliment.

“It would be a different story if I had really said something vulgar,” he said. “And, I didn’t say anything vulgar. She just took it the wrong way.”