Kang says he's innocent
By James Wood, Postmedia
First posted: Tuesday, August 29, 2017 12:07 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, August 29, 2017 04:08 PM EDT
Facing calls for his expulsion from the federal Liberal caucus, Calgary Skyview MP Darshan Kang declared Tuesday that he was innocent of allegations of sexual harassment.
In a statement issued Tuesday by his office, Kang said he has been put on medical leave from the stress caused since the allegations were made public.
“While I cannot comment directly on an open, ongoing investigation, I continue to proclaim my innocence and will defend my reputation at all costs,” said Kang.
The Hill Times reported earlier this month that Kang faced complaints over allegedly repeatedly harassing an unnamed employee in his Calgary constituency office. In a Toronto Star story Tuesday, the father of the alleged victim accused Kang of offering up to $100,000 to the woman for her not to come forward with the allegations.
The office of government whip Pablo Rodriguez said this week that when it became aware of the accusations it referred the matter to the House of Commons' chief human resources officer.
NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson said Tuesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — who has advocated a zero tolerance approach to harassment allegations in the past — should immediately dismiss Kang from the caucus.
As an opposition leader in 2014, Trudeau suspended two Liberal MPs from caucus over allegations of sexual misconduct. They were later permanently booted from the caucus.
"His policy in the past has been extremely clear. When there's an investigation underway, he removes a member of Parliament from his caucus, no questions asked," said Malcolmson, the NDP's critic for the status of women.
"For a prime minister who's identified as a feminist ... for him to leave this hanging for all this time is out of step."
Malcolmson said Kang should not be allowed to sit with the government caucus until the investigation is completed.
In the past two days, Trudeau has faced questions about Kang's status without indicating whether he will be suspended.
On Tuesday, Trudeau reiterated that Parliament has implemented processes to deal with harassment over the last two years.
"We are allowing that process to undergo in a responsible way. The whip's office is very much engaged — as it must be — in this process. And we will allow this process to unfold as it should," he said.
The independent process Trudeau is now relying on to sort out the Kang case did not exist when the accusations of sexual harassment were levelled against Liberal MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti.
Kang’s vow to exhaust all efforts to defend himself suggests that process could drag on for weeks or even months.
Under a process adopted by the House of Commons in December 2014, when there is no mediated resolution to a harassment complaint, an external investigator is hired to review the facts and interview the complainant, the respondent and any witnesses before determining whether the complaint is partially or fully substantiated, not substantiated or frivolous.
Either the complainant or the respondent can appeal if they’re unsatisfied with the investigator’s final report, requiring an appeal panel to be appointed consisting of one member chosen by the complainant, one by the respondent and an external expert.
Kang, served as a Liberal MLA between 2008 and 2015. In the last federal election, Kang and Kent Hehr became the first Liberal MPs elected in Calgary in four decades.
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said this week the controversy around Kang is a major political blow for the Liberals in Calgary.
"It obviously damages Darshan Kang incredibly but it's also going to be used against the Liberal party as a whole," he said.
"When they won their two seats in Calgary, it was largely on the strength of the individuals running those races. Without that strong candidate, can they win Skyview? It was going to be tough anyway ... this is going to be tougher."
With files from The Canadian Press
jwood@postmedia.com
Calgary Skyview MP Darshan Kang.
Kang says he's innocent | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
By James Wood, Postmedia
First posted: Tuesday, August 29, 2017 12:07 PM EDT | Updated: Tuesday, August 29, 2017 04:08 PM EDT
Facing calls for his expulsion from the federal Liberal caucus, Calgary Skyview MP Darshan Kang declared Tuesday that he was innocent of allegations of sexual harassment.
In a statement issued Tuesday by his office, Kang said he has been put on medical leave from the stress caused since the allegations were made public.
“While I cannot comment directly on an open, ongoing investigation, I continue to proclaim my innocence and will defend my reputation at all costs,” said Kang.
The Hill Times reported earlier this month that Kang faced complaints over allegedly repeatedly harassing an unnamed employee in his Calgary constituency office. In a Toronto Star story Tuesday, the father of the alleged victim accused Kang of offering up to $100,000 to the woman for her not to come forward with the allegations.
The office of government whip Pablo Rodriguez said this week that when it became aware of the accusations it referred the matter to the House of Commons' chief human resources officer.
NDP MP Sheila Malcolmson said Tuesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — who has advocated a zero tolerance approach to harassment allegations in the past — should immediately dismiss Kang from the caucus.
As an opposition leader in 2014, Trudeau suspended two Liberal MPs from caucus over allegations of sexual misconduct. They were later permanently booted from the caucus.
"His policy in the past has been extremely clear. When there's an investigation underway, he removes a member of Parliament from his caucus, no questions asked," said Malcolmson, the NDP's critic for the status of women.
"For a prime minister who's identified as a feminist ... for him to leave this hanging for all this time is out of step."
Malcolmson said Kang should not be allowed to sit with the government caucus until the investigation is completed.
In the past two days, Trudeau has faced questions about Kang's status without indicating whether he will be suspended.
On Tuesday, Trudeau reiterated that Parliament has implemented processes to deal with harassment over the last two years.
"We are allowing that process to undergo in a responsible way. The whip's office is very much engaged — as it must be — in this process. And we will allow this process to unfold as it should," he said.
The independent process Trudeau is now relying on to sort out the Kang case did not exist when the accusations of sexual harassment were levelled against Liberal MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti.
Kang’s vow to exhaust all efforts to defend himself suggests that process could drag on for weeks or even months.
Under a process adopted by the House of Commons in December 2014, when there is no mediated resolution to a harassment complaint, an external investigator is hired to review the facts and interview the complainant, the respondent and any witnesses before determining whether the complaint is partially or fully substantiated, not substantiated or frivolous.
Either the complainant or the respondent can appeal if they’re unsatisfied with the investigator’s final report, requiring an appeal panel to be appointed consisting of one member chosen by the complainant, one by the respondent and an external expert.
Kang, served as a Liberal MLA between 2008 and 2015. In the last federal election, Kang and Kent Hehr became the first Liberal MPs elected in Calgary in four decades.
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said this week the controversy around Kang is a major political blow for the Liberals in Calgary.
"It obviously damages Darshan Kang incredibly but it's also going to be used against the Liberal party as a whole," he said.
"When they won their two seats in Calgary, it was largely on the strength of the individuals running those races. Without that strong candidate, can they win Skyview? It was going to be tough anyway ... this is going to be tougher."
With files from The Canadian Press
jwood@postmedia.com
Calgary Skyview MP Darshan Kang.
Kang says he's innocent | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
