The controversy over allegations of harassment by two MPs deepened Wednesday, with an NDP MP accusing the Liberals of breaching a confidential meeting.
MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pachetti were suspended from caucus by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau last week amid allegations that the pair harassed two female NDP MPs, who have not been identified.
Andrews and Pachetti say they did nothing wrong.
The NDP MPs did not file formal complaints. However, one approached Trudeau with the allegations of misconduct, and then shared her story in a private room with Liberal and NDP party whips at a closed-door meeting on Oct. 30.
It was there that Toronto NDP MP Craig Scott, a former law professor, stated that one of the harassment accusations could be considered sexual assault, which is a criminal offence.
But Liberals say that sparked the decision to go public.
“A process was begun when the individual came forward and shared the issue with the leader of another party,” Trudeau said. “We cannot get away from the fact that a complaint was lodged.”
Scott, however, has accused the Liberals of playing party politics over the matter.
“For Liberal backroom operators to claim that somehow I am responsible for Justin Trudeau’s decisions is simply laughable,” Scott said in a written statement on Wednesday.
But members of Trudeau’s team are questioning the process.
“If you brought forward a problem and flagged it, why did you do that if you don’t intend to do anything about it,” Liberal MP Hedi Fry said.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair has already stated that the Liberals breached the confidentiality of the two female MPs, who Mulcair claims did not want to go public with the allegations.
Mulcair said again Wednesday that the MPs alleging misconduct shouldn’t be forced to lodge formal complaints, and that it’s up to them to decide if they want to prompt a formal investigation.
“We can only go at the pace they want to go at,” Mulcair said. “They are the ones that decide that, no one can impose that on them.”
Trudeau imposed sanctions on the two MPs which some employment lawyers say could have serious implications for the third party leader.
“He’s been reckless with their reputation, and our laws protect people from careless, negligent damage to their reputation,” said employment lawyer Howard Levitt.
