Liberal candidate Raj Saini drops federal election race amid allegations of sexual misconduct

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, alongside Liberal MPs (left to right) Marwan Tabbara, Bardish Chagger and Raj Saini meet with the mayors of the Waterloo region and deliver a brief opening address in Kitchener, Ont., Wednesday 17 April 2019.

Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press

Liberal candidate Raj Saini withdrew from the federal election campaign after being accused of sexual misconduct, which he denies.

Mr Saini said in a statement on Saturday that he was quitting the race after CBC News this week reported allegations of inappropriate behavior against the two-term Liberal MP.

I am very proud of my work for Kitchener Center, a job to which I am fully committed, with pleasure and efficiency. However, continuing my campaign no longer serves the best interests of my family, staff, campaign team and voters, Saini said.

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For everyone’s health and safety, I made the painful decision to end my campaign for the 44th Parliament.

Mr Saini has said he will dispute the bogus claims and is in the process of consulting legal counsel to consider his options.

In a statement released later Saturday, a spokesperson for the Liberal Party said that another review was launched on Friday after new information was passed on to the party.

Everyone deserves to work in a safe and respectful environment, free from violence and harassment. Fair, reliable and accessible complaint processes are also essential, said spokesperson Alex Deslongchamps.

Last year, a process was initiated after an allegation was brought against Mr. Saini. When the individual chose not to file a complaint or participate in the process, an independent workplace assessment was carried out by the House of Commons. The review found that there had been nothing regarding the harassment concerns in the office. Mr. Saini was approved as a candidate on this basis.

Yesterday a review process was initiated after new information was provided directly to the Liberal Party of Canada. Mr. Saini will no longer be a liberal candidate.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has already supported Mr. Saini and defended the processes in place to deal with complaints of harassment and misconduct.

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We have always acted decisively by showing that we do not tolerate misconduct or sexual harassment. Not only that, we have acted to put in place much stronger and more rigorous processes, in Parliament, within our party and in organizations across the country, Trudeau said during a campaign stoppage at Mississauga Friday.

We will always ensure that we stand up for the rights of peoples and support them when they come forward to be heard, to ensure that there is a process to follow. We will ensure that this process is followed rigorously and independently.

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A former member of Mr Sainis’ staff told The Globe and Mail that during the time he worked for him, Mr Saini made inappropriate and suggestive comments about him, and she alleged that on one occasion he had pushed her against a wall. In a complaint filed with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in May 2020, she described a hostile work environment that included unwelcome advances, harassing behavior and psychological abuse. She said she was put on compulsory leave in March 2020, which resulted in a workplace suicide attempt.

The human rights complaint was first reported by CBC News on Tuesday. The CBC report also included four allegations against Mr. Saini of unwanted sexual advances or inappropriate comments. CBC News reported that concerns about Mr. Sainis’ behavior towards young female employees have been raised with Mr. Trudeau’s office since 2015. The Globe and Mail has not independently verified all of the allegations.

Mr. Saini said he was only made aware of one allegation, but the complainant had not filed a formal complaint. He said he requested a third party review of his office through the House of Commons and the review failed to verify any issues. The employee said she was not invited to participate in this review. The Globe has not seen the report. Mr Saini also said concerns about his safety were raised in the investigation and passed on to Waterloo Regional Police.

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