House of Commons agrees to review harassment policy in wake of allegations against Raj Saini

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The clerk of the House of Commons says he has asked for a review of workplace harassment policies to examine whether there were deficiencies in the handling of misconduct allegations against former Liberal candidate Raj Saini.

In a letter sent to Conservative candidate Michelle Rempel Garner on Tuesday, Charles Robert said he has asked the chief human resources officer “to assess whether there are any shortcomings present” in the House of Commons workplace harassment and violence prevention policy and “to propose appropriate changes if needed.”

“You can be assured that I share your commitment to providing a healthy and respectful work environment free from harassment to all employees who come on Parliament Hill to work in service to their country,” Mr. Robert said in the letter, which was written in response to two requests from Ms. Rempel Garner.

The Conservatives have raised concerns about whether the harassment policy was properly applied in the case of Mr. Saini, an MP since 2015 who dropped out as a federal election candidate in the Southwestern Ontario riding of Kitchener Centre last weekend. In particular, Ms. Rempel Garner asked why one complainant, a former staff member, was offered mediation “when the complainant felt this wasn’t an adequate situation.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau previously defended Mr. Saini in the face of four harassment allegations, including one from the former staff member, reported against him by CBC News. The Globe and Mail has not verified all of the allegations.

Mr. Saini has denied the “false allegations” and said he is consulting with legal counsel.

Trudeau will not reveal new allegations against Liberal MP Raj Saini who withdrew from race

Over the weekend, the Liberals said “new information” had to come to light about Mr. Saini, which resulted in him no longer being the candidate. But Mr. Trudeau, who said he himself was “frustrated” by the process, would not reveal the details of the new allegations when pressed by reporters this week, citing confidentiality reasons.

Mr. Saini previously said he was only made aware of one allegation against him, and the individual chose not to pursue a formal or informal complaint. He said he initiated a third-party review of his office through the House of Commons in June, 2020, and was cleared. However, the former staffer at the centre of that allegation told The Globe that she was never part of the process.

E-mails obtained by The Globe show that the former staffer raised concerns about Mr. Saini’s conduct last year with senior members of the Liberal Party as well as with the chief of staff to Mark Holland, the government whip in the House of Commons, and local candidates.

Speaking at a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Holland said he had “full confidence” that the investigation of the allegations was thorough and the “buck stops” with him in terms of accountability.

“These are not easy things to deal with, people’s careers are on the line, people have to deal with this in a public venue,” Mr. Holland said. “And I think it’s exceptionally important that we be careful with how we treat these things and where the information may or may not be coming from.”

Mathew Clancy, a spokesman for the Conservative Party, said he hopes the House of Commons investigation “brings some form of justice and closure for the victims.” “Mr. Holland’s comments today raise further questions about why Justin Trudeau continued to defend Mr. Saini and why he was approved as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada,” he said.

NDP candidate Rachel Blaney, who served as the party’s whip in the last Parliament, questioned how the Liberals could call the complaint process thorough when the woman at the centre of it said she was never part of it.

“Justin Trudeau and his team should be showing support for the women who have spoken up. Instead, they’re still working to silence women and bury the allegations,” she said in a statement.

“It’s the latest in a clear pattern: Women come forward, and Justin Trudeau and Liberal men defend their friends.”

Mr. Robert said the result of this evaluation and recommendations, if any, will be brought to the attention of the Board of Internal Economy at one of its coming meetings.

The House of Commons policy says if an allegation is substantiated against a member of Parliament, the report is sent to the Board of Internal Economy. The board is Parliament’s governing body. It meets behind closed doors and is currently dominated by Liberals.

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