Liberal MP Sherry Romanado has accused Conservative MP James Bezan of making "humiliating" comments to her that were unwanted and "sexual in nature."
In the House of Commons after question period Monday, Romanado, a Quebec MP, rose and said: "In May, the member from Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman publicly made inappropriate, humiliating, and unwanted comments to me that were sexual in nature. These comments have caused me great stress and have negatively affected my work environment."
Manitoba Conservative MP James Bezan, today issued the following statement:
“On May 2, 2017, at a public event at Ottawa City Hall, I was posing for a picture with a Member of the House of Commons and another individual.
“While standing for the picture I made an inappropriate and flippant comment by saying, “this isn’t my idea of a threesome,” which was intended as a partisan comment about being in a photo with a Liberal member of caucus.
“I realized that this comment was inappropriate and attempted to apologize the following day but was not afforded that opportunity.
“On May 10, 2017, the Chief Human Resources Officer (the CHRO) received a formal complaint about my comment from the Member.
“After learning that the Member filed an official complaint about my comment, I immediately offered to enter into mediation so that I could apologize to her. That request was also denied.
“A subsequent review was launched by the CHRO into my comment.
“I willingly participated in this review and continued to offer my participation in mediation.
“As part of my written submission to the CHRO, I apologized in writing to the Member.
“On August 16, 2017, the CHRO confirmed in writing that his report ‘did not support a claim of sexual harassment.’ No disciplinary action was recommended against me.
“I accept those findings.
“Subsequently, and with the agreement of the two party Whips in question, I apologized in person to the Member and I also completed sensitivity training offered by the House of Commons.
“As a further measure I agreed to mediation with the Member after the CHRO issued his findings and again, apologized to the Member.”