O’Toole asks House to investigate workplace toxicity claims against Shannon Stubbs

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OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole says he has called on the House of Commons to investigate allegations that Alberta MP Shannon Stubbs has created a toxic work environment for her staff.

The move prompted others, including those who want O’Toole ousted as leader, to come to her defense after she called for her leadership to be reviewed in the wake of the party’s electoral defeat.

O’Toole says he learned of the allegations, which were first reported by The Globe and Mail on Monday last week while touring Quebec. The Canadian Press confirmed an allegation in the report that employees say they felt pressured to paint his house.

Stubbs’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but told the Globe the painting of the house was a gift and denied any wrongdoing, saying she felt targeted for calling for a review of O’Toole’s leadership.

David Parker, a former staff member who worked in the Stubbs office for almost a year from 2016, told The Canadian Press that it was clear to the MP “nothing was good enough , never”.

Three other former staff, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisal, allege Stubbs would openly criticize his colleagues in the office, send texts overnight and make disparaging comments.

The Canadian Press did not examine these alleged communications.

O’Toole said on Monday he had asked the House of Commons to look into the matter because the allegations are serious in nature and expects his MPs to behave in a professional manner.

“As I have been a leader for a year, I have placed the expectation on all my MPs that we will have a professional and respectful working environment,” he said in response to the allegations.

Others, however, have come to his defense.

Gregory Loerts, who currently works in his office, tweeted Monday that Shannon was “wonderful to know personally”.

“The work has been difficult, but extremely rewarding.”

Former Conservative Minister Gerry Ritz tweeted Monday that “Shannon is a great MP.”

The Globe and Mail reported that Jordan Paquet, who worked for Stubbs for four months in 2020, told the newspaper he “got along extremely well” with Stubbs. He added that he “hadn’t noticed anything untoward. No abuse or anything like that.”

Stubbs has so far been the only Tory MP to publicly call for O’Toole’s performance to be reviewed by party members within six months of losing the September election.

Outside of their first caucus meeting in October, Stubbs said O’Toole had flip-flopped on some key Conservative political positions and that the grassroots deserved a say if the leader intended to ‘make more changes to the party.

Alissa Golob, co-founder of anti-abortion organization RightNow, which sharply slammed O’Toole for going back on promises he made to protect the conscientious rights of healthcare professionals, tweeted on Monday that the leader was embarking on a “witch hunt”. . “

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on December 6, 2021

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