Liberal Sen. Colin Kenny has issued a statement in connection with a complaint of sexual harassment against him that's sparked a Senate investigation, stating that the allegations are "without merit."
In a brief statement issued Friday morning, Kenny said that he's not permitted to comment publicly on the issue, but is looking forward to it being resolved.
"The Senate is currently conducting an inquiry into allegations concerning my conduct. As per the conditions that govern the investigation, neither I -- nor anyone else involved in the investigation -- may comment publicly until it is concluded," he said.
"The allegations against me are without merit. I very much look forward to the resolution of this issue."
Kenny left the Liberal caucus Thursday, after the complaint was filed by one of his former staff members. Kenny is not under criminal investigation.
His former assistant, 25-year-old Pascale Brisson, alleges that Kenny commonly made improper advances towards her.
In one incident, Brisson alleges: “He called me to tell me he was thinking about me in my bathing suit by the pool. That’s when he was in Washington on a business trip.”
She outlined her allegations against Kenny to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in August, and eventually quit her job in September after working for three months in Kenny's office.
The Liberal Party didn’t respond to Brisson until October -- after she had followed up on her original message.
Deputy Liberal Leader Ralph Goodale said his party didn’t deliberately ignore Brisson’s original email -- it was just lost.
“The first email that she sent to the general account for the leader’s office came in with the caption line ‘Senate Reform,’ and the item got lumped together with a whole bunch of Senate reform petitions that were coming in at the same time,” he said.
The New Democrats said that’s no excuse.
“It’s troubling when we see inaction when it comes to something like sexual harassment,” said NDP MP Jamie Nicholls.
With a report by CTV’s Omar Sachedina in Ottawa
