Senate investigation will vindicate me: Kenny
Liberal who is facing sex harassment claims says allegations are ‘without merit’
A longtime Ottawa senator who is being investigated by the Senate for his “conduct” says he expects to be vindicated.
Sen. Colin Kenny informed Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau this week that he would be stepping out of caucus after Senate officials launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against him.
In a statement Friday, Kenny said the allegations against him are “without merit.”
“The Senate is currently conducting an inquiry into allegations concerning my conduct,” Kenny wrote in the statement sent to reporters Friday morning. “As per the conditions that govern the investigation, neither I — nor anyone else involved in the investigation — may comment publicly until it is concluded.
“The allegations against me are without merit. I very much look forward to the resolution of this issue.”
In an email to Postmedia News, Kenny said he would respect the investigative process and not comment further, but expected “at the end of the day to be vindicated.”
The CBC reported Thursday that the Senate has launched an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Kenny, who was appointed to the Senate in 1984 by Pierre Trudeau. According to the report, a former employee made several allegations.
‘It’s important that we, as public officials, show due respect for everybody who works in this place ...’
JUSTIN TRUDEAU
Liberal Party leader
Kenny’s behaviour during his time as a senator has raised questions before, the CBC said.
Kenny told Trudeau’s office on Wednesday that he was removing himself from caucus effective Nov. 13.
Trudeau was asked about Kenny back in October, when a former aide went public to say she had been forced to use half her work time taking care of his personal business.
“It’s important that we, as public officials, show due respect for everybody who works in this place, and there are appropriate venues for questions around conduct of employers and employees that should be pursued,” Trudeau said. At the time, he said he had not spoken to Kenny about the issue.
Pressed on whether he should discuss it with the longtime senator, Trudeau responded, “That’s why I have talked with the leadership in the Senate, Sen. Cowan, who is Liberal Leader in the Senate, to follow up with Sen. Kenny, and my office will get a get a report on that and we will take whatever … necessary steps following that, but the first one is to actually establish, with a level of clarity what the rules are, whether the rules were followed and do it in an open and forthcoming way.”
Kenny reaches the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2018, by which time he would have served in the Senate for 34 years.