MP Clement steps back Over explicit images
Tory MP claims extortion after sending photos
OTTAWA • Longtime Ontario MP Tony Clement has resigned from the Conservative shadow cabinet after he shared explicit sexual images and a video of himself with someone he now says is trying to extort him.
Clement says the images were sent electronically in the last three weeks and he believed they were going to a “consenting female.”
However he now says the person targeted him for extortion, and he has asked the RCMP to investigate to determine the person’s identity.
“I recognize now that I have gone down a wrong path and have exercised very poor judgment,” Clement said in a statement Tuesday.
Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer said he has appointed Lisa Raitt to take over for Clement as the justice critic for now.
“While I’m greatly disappointed with Mr. Clement’s actions, I am encouraged that he has decided to seek help and I wish him all the best in doing so,” Scheer said.
The RCMP confirmed it had received information from Clement and is currently investigating the matter, but did not comment further.
In his statement, he apologized to his family, his party and his constituents in Parry Sound-Muskoka for his behaviour.
He is married to lawyer and author Lynne Golding. They have three children.
“I am committed to seeking the help and treatment I need in my personal life to make sure this will not happen again while also continuing to discharge my duties as a Member of Parliament,” he wrote.
Clement is resigning his committee roles as well, but will stay in the Conservative caucus.
The 57-year-old politician has been one of the pillars of the Conservative caucus for more than a decade, and before that was a senior member of the provincial party in Ontario. He was first elected in 1995 as part of Mike Harris’s Common Sense Revolution and held several cabinet roles, including health, transportation and municipal affairs.
He unsuccessfully challenged Stephen Harper for the leadership of the newly formed Conservative Party of Canada in 2000 and six years later was in Harper’s cabinet. He served as a minister for the entirety of Harper’s neardecade long tenure as prime minister.
Clement dropped out of the most recent federal leadership contest early on and endorsed Maxime Bernier. He also ran for the provincial Tory leadership in Ontario once.
Clement is one of the most recognizable MPs as well as one of the heaviest users of social media. He is a frequent poster on Twitter. It has occasionally landed him in trouble before, including when he had to apologize after cursing at a 15-year-old on the platform.
The RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
TONY CLEMENT’S FULL STATEMENT:
Over the last three weeks, I have shared sexually explicit images and a video of myself to someone who I believed was a consenting female recipient. The recipient was, in fact, an individual or party who targeted me for the purpose of financial extortion. The RCMP are currently investigating the matter to determine the identity of the party responsible for the extortion attempt.”
Tonight, I have resigned from my House of Commons committee assignments as well as Conservative Shadow Minister for Justice in order to focus on my personal life and my family. I ask that all Canadians respect my and my family’s privacy at this time.
I recognize now that I have gone down a wrong path and have exercised very poor judgment. First and foremost, I apologize to my family for the needless pain and humiliation my actions have caused. I also apologize to my colleagues and my constituents for letting them down. I am committed to seeking the help and treatment I need in my personal life to make sure this will not happen again while also continuing to discharge my duties as a Member of Parliament.