Patrick Brown is out at PC leader in Ontario over 4 months before the provincial election scheduled for June 7. Brown gave a press conference denying the allegations that allegedly involve teens, then hurriedly running out of the room. For those who didn't see this press conference should click here.
After that press conference, Brown's campaign manager, chief of staff, and deputy manager announced their resignations. Brown later resigned as leader.
One of many unaddressed concerns was that the whispers had gone on for some time, but members of the Ontario PC Party insisted they only knew of the allegations as they came out in the press.
Brown has said he will stay in the legislature as a MPP. Vic Fedeli, a MPP from the northeastern Ontario riding of Nipissing, will be the interim leader.
The PCs will have a quick turnaround, voting on March 24 for a new leader for a June 7 election. Fedeli has said he will run for the post. Traditionally, interim leaders don't run but these are rather unusual circumstances.
Liberals win very slim majority in Nova Scotia
Brown was the second provincial PC leader to resign last week. Nova Scotia PC Leader Jamie Baillie resigned last week over "allegations of inappropriate behaviour."
Baillie resigned as party leader and MLA for Cumberland South.
The odd part beyond the charges was the Baillie said he was going to resign as party leader in early November. Word of the allegations came in late December, according to the party.
Karla MacFarlane, PC caucus chair and MLA for Pictou West, will become the interim leader of the PCs in Nova Scotia
On the federal level, Sport and Disabilities Minister Kent Hehr has resigned from the cabinet per an investigation into sexual harassment allegations.
Hehr has shown well before this to be uncouth in his ability to speak long before these allegations. In October 2016 as Minister of Veterans Affairs, when asked by a wife of a veteran about support for her family, Hehr reported said, "you married him, he's your responsibility." In his current position in December, Hehr said to a group of thalidomide survivors, "Well you don't have it so bad. Everyone in Canada has a sob story." When the subject of their reduced life expectancy came up, Hehr reportedly said, "So you probably have about 10 years left then now, That's good news for the Canadian government."
Currently, Parliament staff aren't legally allowed to make standard complaints. Bill C-65 gets a second reading in the House of Commons today. This bill will extend protections for workers in federally regulated industries including those in Parliament on workplace misconduct.
2018 Canadian politics preview
Saskatchewan decides to keep its (Brad) Wall
CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage
The moment - @ScottMoeSK - your new premier elect #skpoli pic.twitter.com/HL7Oaq2bgo
— Adam Hunter (@AHiddyCBC) January 28, 2018
The Saskatchewan results might have been overshadowing by a pair of Progressive Conservative provincial leaders being forced to resign over sexual misconduct allegations.
The Saskatchewan Party had 5 candidates running to replace Brad Wall, who has been premier of Saskatchewan for over a decade. The party needed 5 ballots to find a winner. MLA Scott Moe edged out former deputy prime minister Alanna Koch on the 5th ballot to be the new premier-designate.
Moe took 8,075 votes, or 53.7% of the overall vote, versus Koch with 6,914 votes. The other candidates in the race were Tina Beaudry-Mellor; Ken Cheveldayoff; and Gordon Wyant.
Of the approximately 27,000 who were eligible to cast a ballot, over 17,000 cast votes for the next premier. The sense that Moe might be a consensus candidate stems from trailing Koch in the first 3 ballots.
For those hoping for the first female premier in Saskatchewan, the selection of Moe reflected more on shoring up the rural base of the party.
The last election in Saskatchewan was in 2016. Traditionally, an unelected premier does call for an election shortly after taking the job.
Video credit: CBC News
Twitter capture: @AHiddyCBC
Comments