Public television network will probe sexual harassment allegations against Steve Paikin //
Former mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson is accusing TVO host Steve Paikin of sexually harassing her, and says her entire campaign team knew about it. But three people who worked on her campaign say they have no knowledge of such an incident occurring.
A TVO official announced Monday the station is launching an independent third-party investigation into the allegation and Paikin will continue to host “The Agenda” as “evidence to date” does not justify removing him pending the investigation outcome.
Thomson, Formerly Sarah Whatmough, was the awardwinning operator of two Sunoco stations — one in Ancaster and one in Hamilton — and tried to open a bookstore in her Aberdeen Avenue home.
Thomson vied unsuccessfully for a spot as Ward 1 councillor in Hamilton’s 1997 municipal election.
In 2010, she lost a bid for Toronto mayor.
Thomson also founded the Hamilton Examiner, a community newspaper, and the Women’s News — now Women’s Post — an online publication.
Thomson wrote on her website Friday that she and her executive assistant had lunch with the host of a political talk show during the 2010 mayoral race to discuss another appearance. She said she had previously been on the show with “the other top four candidates … and it helped my numbers in the polls.”
Thomson did not identify the host by name, but TVO confirmed she is referring to Paikin and TVO’s flagship program “The Agenda.” Paikin declined to comment.
“Not five minutes into the lunch, the host asked me if I would sleep with him,” Thomson wrote on Women’s Post, the website she publishes. “My assistant almost spit his drink all over the table.”
She said she “politely” declined his offer, then went to the washroom and called her campaign manager, who advised her to leave, which she did.
Mayor John Tory’s sons worked on Thomson’s campaign and both said they have no recollection of Thomson’s allegations.
Thomson sent Paikin an email, obtained by the Star, which said her executive assistant went back to their office after lunch and told the “entire campaign team ... you weren’t interested in discussing the show but instead wanted to sleep with me.”
The email to Paikin was sent about the same time Thomson published her story late last week.
Wendy Stewart was Thomson’s campaign manager until the end of June 2010. She said she also has no knowledge of the alleged incident. Thomson did not respond to requests for comment.
On her website, Thomson said she spoke to her executive assistant after the alleged incident and he said he “questioned the talk show host to see if asking directly for sex actually worked for him. The host said that it worked 50 per cent of the time.”
After she declined to sleep with Paikin, Thomson said she was not invited back on “The Agenda,” however male candidates did appear again.
On Sept. 28, 2010, Thomson withdrew from the election. Less than two weeks later, she appeared on “The Agenda” as part of a panel. The episode was called “Us, Them and Rob Ford,” TVO spokesperson Sara Goldvine said.
About a year later, Sept. 22, 2011, Thomson was on “The Agenda” again as part of a panel to tell Steve Paikin “who is best for Toronto.”
Last Saturday, Paikin notified TVO of the email Thomson sent to him, said TVO CEO Lisa de Wilde in a statement Monday. Thomson’s email alleges he uses his position “to try to get women to have sex” with him.
TVO has launched an independent third party investigation into Paikin, and he will continue to host The Agenda.
It is unusual for someone accused of sexual harassment to remain in their position, said Frances Mote, managing director of Toronto-based Niagara Street HR Consulting Inc., noting most often the employee will go on an administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing.
“The person making the accusation and the people around him need to feel that they can come forward,” Mote said. Bell Media, for example, suspended CTV News reporter Paul Bliss last month after a woman accused him of sexual misconduct.
But because the accusation against Paikin is not coming from a TVO employee, he doesn’t need to be removed from the workplace, said employment lawyer Howard Levitt, senior partner at Levitt LLP. “There’s less of a reason to suspend someone for an investigation when the person making the accusation doesn’t work there,” Levitt said.