Ethics investigation findings spark calls for senator’s resignation

DON MEREDITH

mud — a fate Harder suggested Meredith should want to avoid.

Meredith, a married father of two and an ordained minister, has remained silent and has yet to respond to a request for comment.

It’s unclear if the Senate has the authority to expel Meredith over the conduct detailed in Senate ethics officer Lyse Ricard’s report.

The upper chamber has never turfed one of its own for any reason. would like to see the Senate impose the harshest punishments possible against Meredith.

“I’d be very disappointed if he walked through the doors of the Senate again,” said Conservative Sen. David Wells of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In a long-awaited report released Thursday, Ricard said Meredith failed to uphold the “highest standards of dignity inherent to the position of senator” and acted in a way that could damage the Senate itself.

The report found Meredith, 52, used his Senate cellphone for explicit chats, tried to help the woman land an internship on Parliament Hill, promised her a committee appointment and suggested he could help with her mother’s permanent residency file.

Ricard also detailed sexually explicit online video chats between the two.

The report said Ricard believes Meredith had sex with the woman at least once before she turned 18, and twice after she turned 18. Meredith acknowledged he had sexual relations at least once with the woman after she turned 18, the report said.

In a letter attached to the report, Meredith told Ricard Don Meredith is being encouraged to resign his seat from the Senate. he deeply regretted what happened and vowed he would never breach the ethics code again.

Meredith was removed Friday from his leadership post within the independent senators’ caucus.

The head of the group, Sen. Elaine McCoy, said she spoke Friday with Meredith and recommended he resign.

“I think that would be the honourable thing to do,” she said. “I’m sorry to say that.” The report is just the latest blemish on the Senate’s reputation, which has taken a beating in recent years as a result of the Senate expenses scandal.

Conservative Sen. Vern White, who also echoed calls for Meredith to quit, said the latest issue should not reflect on the upper chamber as a whole.

“Let’s be very clear: Don Meredith owns his own actions,” said White, a former police chief in Ottawa.

“I’m not his keeper, and I don’t think anyone else is. He owns it, and he’ll have to deal with it. It has nothing to do with the Senate.”

Speaking in Houston, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it’s up to the Senate, not him, to decide what to do about Meredith.

He did say, however, that politicians have to show themselves worthy of the public trust.