MARWAN TABBARA, THE MP FOR THE ONTARIO RIDING OF KITCHENER SOUTH—HESPELER, ALLEGEDLY WATCHED A HOME FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE HIS ARREST THERE FOR HARASSMENT, ASSAULT AND BREAK AND ENTER.
Tabbara faces break and enter, assault charges
Ontario Member of Parliament Marwan Tabbara allegedly spent so much time over three months watching a home in a nearby riding he made the occupant fear for her safety, according to a police document describing the serious criminal charges he is facing.
The watching started Jan. 1 and ended April 9, the day Tabbara was arrested by police in Guelph, Ont., according to police allegations.
Tabbara, 35, was charged with two counts of assault, one count of break and enter and commit an indictable offence, and one count of criminal harassment.
The charges were not revealed at the time by Guelph Police Service and did not become public until Friday after National Post and two other media organizations directly asked police about it.
The National Post can now reveal that two people are listed as alleged victims of assault, one male and one female.
Both alleged assaults took place in the same place at the same incident, according to the police report.
Tabbara is also charged with breaking and entering a home, which is the same address as the home he was allegedly watching, near Guelph’s downtown, about 90 kilometres west of Toronto. It is not the same address listed as his home.
After spending a night in jail, Tabbara was formally charged with the four criminal counts on April 10, and had a bail hearing overseen by a justice of the peace in London, Ont., about 120 kilometres southwest of Guelph.
He was released on a promise to pay $1,000 if he breached any condition of his release. A publication ban was imposed over the information, arguments and reasons presented at that bail appearance.
Tabbara is the MP for Kitchener South—hespeler and chaired Parliament’s subcommittee on International Human Rights and sits on the special committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic.
On Friday, after the criminal charges against him were revealed in the media, he announced he was “stepping back from the Liberal caucus” but not resigning as an MP.
“I personally believe strongly in the right of every individual to live a life free of the hurt and trauma of physical, verbal or emotional abuse,” he said in a written statement. “I continue to receive counselling and treatment for anxiety and depression, which I have been living with for some time.”
He has not responded to a request for further comment.
The Prime Minister’s Office said it did not learn of the charges until Friday and was looking into the matter.
Questions to the government regarding Tabbara’s roles as a Liberal MP, as a subcommittee chair and committee member, have not so far been answered.
His official entry on the Parliament of Canada website now lists his party affiliation as “independent.”
Guelph police, asked again on Monday, continued to provide no answer about why the charges were not released to the media at the time.
“This matter is before the courts and the Guelph Police Service will make no further comment,” said Const. Brian Murphy, the force’s public information officer. It is the same statement he issued Friday.
Tabbara’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 19.
Tabbara was first elected in 2015, after the riding was newly created during riding redistribution. He was re-elected in 2019.
After his election, he told the Waterloo Region Record, his local newspaper, that before politics he worked in various jobs, including construction, electrical, roofing, temp work and as a line supervisor at the Frito-lay snack plant.
He said when he was a young child, he and his family fled Lebanon during that country’s civil war and immigrated to Canada. He has a degree in political science from the University of Guelph.
BOTH ALLEGED ASSAULTS TOOK PLACE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME INCIDENT.