Liberals investigating sex-assault allegation

The governing Quebec Liberals scrambled to gather information Thursday after a young woman’s allegation she was sexually assaulted by a caucus member. Premier Philippe Couillard said he’s taking the matter seriously and has asked the party whip to launch an immediate internal investigation to determine if the accusation is founded. At a Universite Laval vigil Wednesday evening in support of victims of alleged sex crimes at a student residence, a woman said she was assaulted while working as a hostess at a Quebec City restaurant in the summer of 2014. In a Facebook post that has since been deleted, the woman wrote the alleged aggressor was a Liberal member of the legislature. He was not named. She wrote that the sitting politician allegedly blackmailed her to not pursue the complaint.