CANADIAN SIKH MP FACING HARASSMENT CHARGES QUITS

IN DOCK Kang is facing allegations by two former coworkers

Indo-Canadian MP Darshan Kang, embroiled in charges of sexual harassment, has resigned from the caucus of the ruling Liberal Party even as a second woman levelled similar allegations against him. Kang will no longer be part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bench of MPs.

› I wish to focus my efforts at this time in clearing my name. I do not want my present circumstances to further distract from any of the good work being carried out by my colleagues... DARSHAN KANG, Indo-Canadian MP

TORONTO : Indo-Canadian MP Darshan Kang, embroiled in charges of sexual harassment, has resigned from the caucus of the ruling Liberal Party even as a second woman levelled similar allegations against him.

Kang will no longer be part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bench of MPs in the House of Commons.

“I wish to focus my efforts at this time in clearing my name,” Kang said in a statement.

The MP from Calgary in the province of Alberta faces allegations of sexual harassment brought forth by a 24-year-old female staffer, who worked on the campaign that saw him elected to House of Commons for the first time in October 2015.

He could face further trouble since another former staffer has alleged she too was sexually harassed by Kang while he was an MLA in the provincial legislature.

The Hill Times, an Ottawabased media outlet, identified her as Kirstin Morrell and quoted her as saying, “He doesn’t understand or seem to care about the word no, or about the word stop.”

In his statement, Kang said, “I do not want my present circumstances to further distract from any of the good work being carried out by my colleagues in the government.”

These allegations have been an embarrassment for the Prime Minister Trudeau, who has been repeatedly asked to comment on the matter this week. The Toronto Star reported the House of Commons’ chief human resources officer, who is investigating Kang’s “conduct”, will also look into the new allegations by the second staffer.