House of Commons agrees to review harassment policy following allegations against Raj Saini

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Conservatives questioned whether the harassment policy was being properly enforced in the case of Raj Saini, an MP since 2015 who dropped his candidacy in the federal election in the riding of Kitchener Center in southwestern Ontario. , last weekend.

Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian Press

The Clerk of the House of Commons said he had called for a review of workplace harassment policies to determine if there were any gaps in the handling of allegations of misconduct against former Liberal candidate Raj Saini.

In a letter sent to Conservative candidate Michelle Rempel Garner on Tuesday, Charles Robert said he had asked the director of human resources to assess whether there were any gaps in the workplace harassment and violence prevention policy of the House of Commons and propose appropriate changes if necessary. .

You can be assured that I share your commitment to providing a healthy and respectful work environment free from harassment to all employees who come to Parliament Hill to work in the service of their country, Mr. Robert said in the letter, which was written in response to two requests from Ms. Rempel Garner.

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Conservatives questioned whether the harassment policy was being properly enforced in the case of Mr. Saini, an MP since 2015 who dropped his candidacy in the federal election in the riding of Kitchener Center in southwestern Ontario. Ontario, last weekend. In particular, Ms Rempel Garner asked why a complainant, a former staff member, had been offered mediation when he felt that this was not an adequate situation.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau previously defended Saini against four harassment allegations, including one from the former staff member, reported against him by CBC News. The Globe and Mail did not verify all the allegations.

Mr Saini denied the false allegations and said he was consulting legal counsel.

Trudeau will not reveal new allegations against Liberal MP Raj Saini who withdrew from the race

Over the weekend, the Liberals said new information had to be revealed about Mr Saini, which made him no longer a candidate. But Trudeau, who said himself frustrated with the process, declined to reveal details of the new allegations when pressed by reporters this week, citing confidentiality concerns.

Mr Saini previously said he was only made aware of one allegation against him and the person chose not to file a formal or informal complaint. He said he launched a third-party review of his office through the House of Commons in June 2020 and was cleared. However, the former employee at the center of this allegation told The Globe that she was never part of the process.

Emails obtained by The Globe show the former staff member raised concerns over Mr Sainis’ conduct last year to senior Liberal Party officials as well as to Mark’s chief of staff Holland, Government Whip in the House of Commons, and local candidates.

Speaking in a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Mr Holland said he was fully convinced that the investigation into the allegations was thorough and that the responsibility rests with him in terms of accountability.

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These are not easy things to manage, people’s careers are at stake, people have to deal with this in a public place, Mr Holland said. And I think it’s extremely important that we pay attention to how we handle these things and where the information is coming from or not.

Mathew Clancy, spokesperson for the Conservative Party, said he hopes the House of Commons inquiry will bring some form of justice and closure for victims. Mr. Hollands’ comments today raise further questions about why Justin Trudeau continued to defend Mr. Saini and why he was approved as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, he said.

NDP candidate Rachel Blaney, who served as party whip in the last Parliament, asked how the Liberals could characterize the complaints process as thorough when the woman at the center of it said she was not. had never been a part.

Justin Trudeau and his team should show their support for the women who have spoken. Instead, they are still working to silence women and bury the allegations, she said in a statement.

It’s the latest in a clear pattern: women come out, and Justin Trudeau and liberal men stand up for their friends.

Mr. Robert stated that the result of this evaluation and the recommendations, if any, will be brought to the attention of the Board of Internal Economy at one of its next meetings.

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House of Commons policy states that if an allegation is made against a Member, the report is sent to the Board of Internal Economy. The Board of Directors is the governing body of Parliament. It meets behind closed doors and is currently dominated by the Liberals.

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