OTTAWA -- Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is standing by his Kitchener Centre candidate who has been accused of inappropriate behaviour directed at female staffers.
While unveiling the Liberals鈥� campaign platform on Wednesday, Trudeau touted the party鈥檚 efforts to combat harassment in the workplace over the past several years and said candidate Raj Saini is following the necessary 鈥減rocesses.鈥�
鈥淲e are extremely, extremely strong that everyone has a right to be in a safe workplace. We have improved and increased the processes available within the party, within Parliament,鈥� he said.
鈥淚n this case, Mr. Saini has shared details of multiple processes that he鈥檚 gone through over the past many months and the efforts that have been made to demonstrate that we are taking this very seriously.鈥�
On Tuesday, the CBC reported four cases from unnamed sources, where Saini allegedly made unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate comments to his female staff.
In a subsequent statement released Tuesday evening, the Liberal candidate denied any wrongdoing, stating that he takes the health and safety of his team 鈥渆xtremely seriously.鈥�
鈥淚 have never acted inappropriately towards staff or constituents. I have only ever been made aware of one allegation regarding my office. The individual chose not to pursue a formal or informal complaint process,鈥� Saini said.
He said upon learning about the allegation, he insisted on an independent third-party review of his office done through the House of Commons.
鈥淭he outcome of that review, which was completed in June 2020, found that nothing arose regarding concerns of harassment in the office,鈥� he said.
His current staff members also issued a statement noting that Saini has 鈥渃onsistently鈥� treated them with respect and professionalism regardless of gender or background.
鈥淭he claims made are wholly inconsistent with our extensive experience working for Raj, both personally experienced as well as witnessed in his interactions with other staff, volunteers, and our community,鈥� they state.
Saini remains clear to run for re-election under the Liberal tent, unlike former Conservative candidate in Nova Scotia, Troy Myers, who was told on Monday by his party to withdraw from the race after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced on Twitter.
Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole said the allegations against Saini are 鈥渢roubling鈥� and Trudeau鈥檚 response is another example of the 鈥渃ulture of cover-ups鈥� within his inner circle.
鈥淲e saw this in the Canadian Armed Forces with multiple allegations that went to the prime minister鈥檚 office, his chief of staff, the clerk of the Privy Council, the minister of national defence. Everyone knew except Mr. Trudeau apparently. Now we see the same culture of cover-ups taking place with their own paid staff members,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 hope to hear a serious response from the prime minister and his team on how this type of cover-up took place.鈥�
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh echoed the same sentiment Wednesday during a campaign stop in Quebec.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 really concerned about is the pattern of behaviour of ignoring the concerns of women and that to me is something the Liberal Party has shown again and again,鈥� he said.
Asked whether he would call on one of his candidates to withdraw from the election campaign if similar circumstances were to arise, Singh said his party takes these types of allegations 鈥渞eally seriously.鈥�
鈥淲e believe that鈥檚 a really important thing to do. As leader I want to make sure that my workplace, the culture I create, is safe so we take all steps possible, we don鈥檛 ignore the concerns,鈥� he said.
