Two prominent Canadian politicians resign in wake of allegations of sexual misconduct
Trudeau, a self-described feminist, said, “Harassment of any kind is unacceptable, and Canadians have a right to live and work in environments free of harassment.”
Earlier in the day, Patrick Brown, the 39-year-old leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, resigned after a CTV News report in which two young women accused him of making inappropriate sexual advances while they were intoxicated.
Brown’s resignation has the potential for wide repercussions in Canadian politics. The Conservatives were believed to have excellent chances of unseating the Liberals, who have held power in the province since 2003, but have been embroiled in scandals and criticized for deficit spending.
Trudeau praised the two women in the Brown case for coming forward with their stories. “My thoughts turn immediately to the women who came forward, knowing how difficult it is, it can be, to salute them for their courage and their leadership,” he said.
A series of other sexual allegations have hit Canada’s political scene in recent months.
On Wednesday, Jamie Baillie, leader of the Conservative Party in Nova Scotia, also was forced to resign after an investigation into an allegation of sexual harassment in the workplace made by a female staffer.
In November, Claude-Eric Gagné, deputy director of operations in the prime minister’s office, was placed on leave after he was accused of “inappropriate behavior.” Gagné disputes the allegations, the details of which have not been made public.
Sexual misconduct allegations have also hit coaches, entertainers and literary figures in Canada, and two Canadian actresses have accused Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer, of unwanted sexual advances.
In an emotional statement just before the broadcast of the CTV report on Wednesday, Brown, the Ontario politician, categorically denied the allegations. But after his six top aides resigned and his caucus called on him to step down, Brown announced a few hours later that he was quitting.
The allegations against Brown, who is unmarried, date back several years, when he was a member of federal Parliament. According to the CTV report, both women were teenagers when the incidents occurred. They were not identified by name.
In the first incident, which occurred more than a decade ago, a young woman said, she met Brown at a bar in his hometown of Barrie, Ontario, when she was still in high school. She said that Brown invited her and a friend back to his home and gave them alcohol even though the woman was younger than the Ontario drinking age of 19.
The woman said she became drunk and Brown invited her into his bedroom, where she alleges he exposed himself. She said she performed oral sex on him but soon after left Brown’s house.
In the second incident, a woman said she was an 18-year-old student when she met Brown on a plane. He gave her his phone number and later, in a series of messages, offered to help her get into bars in Barrie.
She said she ignored the offer but later asked him for a summer job in his local office. The woman said she was hired, and in 2013, after a charity event, she and a male friend were invited to Brown’s home. They were asked into his bedroom to look at some photos, and after the male friend left the room, the woman said, Brown began kissing her and got on top of her.
She called the situation intimidating and told him to stop, which he did, after which he drove her home to her parents. The woman said she returned to work for Brown the following summer, saying she didn’t want the incident to impede a career opportunity.
Neither woman reported the incidents to authorities, CTV reported.
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