Two Liberals linked to harassment claims
Wynne refuses to share details about complaints brought to her attention
Premier Kathleen Wynne admits she has dealt with “a couple of instances” of sexual harassment involving at least two Liberal MPPs, but is keeping the circumstances and names secret.
“The situations are confidential so I’m not going to go into the details,” she said Tuesday amid repeated questions from reporters seeking more information.
“The conversations have been confidential for various reasons, not the least of which is that people who brought complaints forward were not looking for a public process,” Wynne added at York Mills Collegiate.
Her remarks came two weeks after she proposed a code of conduct for MPPs in the wake of the controversy over a vulgar sex joke told by Progressive Conservative MPP Jack MacLaren.
Wynne said Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown should consider booting MacLaren from his caucus for the remark about Ottawaarea Liberal MP Karen McCrimmon, raising questions about what discipline or action was taken against the premier’s own Liberal MPPs.
“I think there’s certainly a double standard,” Brown told reporters, calling on Wynne to be more forthcoming. “Transparency is always a good thing.”
The premier’s admission is confirmation that sexual harassment problems in the Liberal circle at Queen’s Park — which she first mentioned in November 2014after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau suspended two caucus members — involved elected politicians.
It’s unclear whether the offending MPPs are men or women, if they are still in office or whether there have been new instances in the last 18 months.
“I’ve dealt with them in various ways,” Wynne said, noting her party has its own “code of conduct” for dealing with sexual harassment.
“I have had a context within which to have those conversations with MPPs and I have done so.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath revealed she has raised concerns with fellow party leaders at Queen’s Park over complaints of “inappropriate touching.”
“Unfortunately, I’m not surprised,” she said, referring to Wynne’s admission. Horwath did not detail the touching incidents or who they in- volved or when they occurred.
“Some of my members have talked about feeling uncomfortable with inappropriate touching that’s happened around this place.
“This is not the ’50s. It’s 2016 and people need to be respectful of each other’s individual space and be respectful of women’s sexuality.”
Wynne’s government last year launched a public campaign against sexual assault — including widely praised advertising videos — and harassment, and passed legislation requiring employers to take such problems more seriously.
Wynne said she had not asked any MPPs accused of harassment to get sensitivity training on their own — as Brown has done as a condition for MacLaren’s return to the legislature.
“No. I have not done that. But I will say that our whole caucus is having training,” the premier said.
Brown told the Star that MacLaren has started his sensitivity training, which was prompted by his offensive remarks at a “men’s night” cancer charity fundraiser in Carp, a town outside Ottawa in his riding of Carleton-Mississippi Mills.
“It’s well underway and when it’s completed we’ll let you know.”
Wynne said April 15 that “if he (MacLaren) were a member in my caucus we’d be having a very different conversation about whether he would remain a member of caucus or not.” Horwath accused Wynne of making hay over the MacLaren situation when she needs to get her own house in order.
“You can’t have one set of rules for one group because you can get a political advantage and then have another set of rules for your own group.”
Horwath said her caucus and NDP staffers are getting training on “what’s not acceptable” and that she has not had sexual harassment or violence issues involving any of her caucus members.