"‘We’re shocked': Justin Trudeau went public with reports of misconduct against the wishes of the alleged victims, NDP says"
Two NDP MPs who brought forward allegations of harassment feel blindsided by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s move to go public with the information against their wishes, the NDP says.
Nycole Turmel, NDP whip, said Thursday one of the alleged victims found out through social media that her allegations had become public and that an investigation was being sought.
One of the alleged victims had come to Turmel previously to discuss misconduct allegations, but didn’t want them to become public, Turmel told the Postmedia News. NDP leader Tom Mulcair echoed her remarks at a press conference, saying the alleged victims had a “strong desire to keep this confidential.
“That was their request and we were not about to override that and make them victims a second time,” Mulcair said in Whitby, Ont.
“Anyone who went against that (request) would, of course, be running the risk of making them becoming victims a second time.”
Turmel said neither of the two NDP MPs had wished to file formal complaints, over concerns that the allegations could destroy the careers of Liberal MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti.
“Rumours sometimes destroy people’s lives,” Turmel said.
Turmel was to meet with Speaker of the House of Commons Andrew Scheer Thursday to determine what the means will be to investigate the allegations, given that the Commons has no such process in place. It’s only after that meeting that the two alleged victims will know the next steps, or whether they will participate in any investigation.
Trudeau announced Wednesday that Andrews and Pacetti were suspended from the Liberal caucus over allegations of “serious personal misconduct” in how they dealt with two female MPs from another party. He also suspended the two men’s candidacies for the next election pending an investigation.
Neither the nature of the misconduct, nor the identity of the two New Democrats who lodged the complaints, has been detailed by any of the parties. Both Pacetti and Andrews deny wrongdoing.
Also unclear is when the alleged misconduct took place. A report Thursday in Le Journal du Quebec said Liberal MP Scott Simms was aware of allegations as far back as March 2013, but the alleged victim who told him of the misconduct asked him to keep it secret and he did.
What is known is that one of the alleged victims approached Trudeau directly on Oct. 28, when MPs from various parties travelled together to Hamilton, Ont. for the funeral of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, slain by a gunman at the National War Memorial six days earlier. After the funeral, Trudeau was on a bus on his way back to the airport to fly to Ottawa, when an NDP MP approached him to discuss alleged misconduct by one of the Liberal MPs.
Trudeau said Wednesday he immediately directed Foote to make her counterpart from the NDP aware of this.
When Turmel met Foote on Oct. 29, Turmel said she was only aware of one allegation of wrongdoing. The MP who approached her had told her the details in confidence, asking that they not go any further. Turmel said she was not told the identity of the MP at the centre of the allegations.
“The person said to me, ‘I don’t want this to go anywhere,’ ” she said. “This person said, ‘I will deal with this on my own terms.’”
Turmel wouldn’t say when the conversation took place. She said the NDP tried to help the alleged victim, but she provided few details of what was offered or done.
Turmel said she learned of the second allegation of wrongdoing when she met with Foote. At that time, she also learned Liberals Andrews and Pacetti were at the centre of the allegations.
Turmel said the NDP had heard rumours Wednesday morning that the Liberals were going to take some action on Andrews and Pacetti. She said all she knew for sure before Wednesday was that Pacetti and Andrews were to meet with the Liberal leadership to discuss the allegations.
Mulcair said “there was no prior warning” that the Liberals were going public with the allegations.
Turmel said Liberal whip Foote gave her an envelope marked “confidential” that contained the letter the Liberals were about to give to the Speaker of the House of Commons.
We’re shocked as well that Mr. Trudeau decided to go forward and do a press conference and naming the people involved without telling the alleged victims Turmel was en route to warn one of the alleged victims that news of misconduct allegations was going to the Speaker and would be made public, but the news was already out. Turmel said the alleged victim was upset because she had seen the letter on social media.
Trudeau then held a press conference outlining the allegations, without providing details.
“We’re shocked as well that Mr. Trudeau decided to go forward and do a press conference and naming the people involved without telling the alleged victims,” Turmel said. The NDP says the Liberals did not tell them ahead of time about Trudeau’s plans.