STANDING BY STOFFER
Former NDP MP facing a firestorm of accusations
The wife of former NDP MP accused of sexual misconduct is defending her husband
Peter Stoffer’s wife is speaking out in defence of her husband, who’s been the subject of multiple sexual harassment accusations in recent days stemming from his tenure as a member of Parliament.
“I have no concern about these allegations, many of which have been coming from unnamed people,” said Andrea Pottyondy Stoffer. “They are probably not true. (Peter) would never ever proposition women, or anything like that. I have no doubt he’s a good man.”
She suggested many of the allegations are coming from a group of people in Ottawa who never liked her husband or his style of work. She did not speculate on the identity of those people.
“They didn’t like him because he was so different, but those people don’t matter to me.
“I know he liked to hug and kiss women on the cheeks and I have no problem with that because he did it when I was there. All of his friends and the people that know him, know what his intentions were/are.”
A firestorm of sexual harassment accusations against her husband has surfaced since a National Post investigation last week reported allegations against the popular former NDP Sackville-Preston-chezzetcook MP ranging from unwanted kissing and groping to invitations for threesomes and other inappropriate comments, from early in his tenure to just before his defeat.
The alleged incidents involved young female political staffers. Several women have since come forward with more allegations, including two women who told The Chronicle Herald they were propositioned by Stoffer while working as young political staffers.
Several of those stories reveal that the alleged accusers complained to their supervisors in the party but their concerns were never properly addressed.
Stoffer said her husband is a kind, loving man, whose overly affectionate manner has been misinterpreted as predatory behaviour.
She also said that her husband has become a victim of what she considers an overly aggressive #Metoo campaign that offers little in the way of due process for the accused. A victim of sexual harassment herself, Stoffer said she supports the spirit of the campaign that’s been illustrating the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment and assault, but argues the process of outing alleged accusers should be conducted more carefully.
“I think it’s a good thing. It has happened to all women, including myself. The pendulum has swung way too far and Peter’s just gotten caught up in it. His actions were taken out of context.
“The people that know him and love him know exactly what he’s like. He’s always been a little different from most people. He’s always been much more friendlier than most people. I think he just wanted to bring people together in Ottawa. He’s a loving person.”