ABOVE: Things got very uncomfortable during a press conference Thursday, as NDP leader Andrea Horwath was grilled about sexual assault allegations leveled against an NDP candidate
TORONTO – Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath refused to say, citing party policy, whether a candidate accused of sexual assaulting a 19-year-old would be allowed to run again for the party.
She said the party “followed our policy absolutely.”
“I have been briefed. I can tell you that our party has very, very strong anti-harassment policies and those policies have been followed in that situation,” she said during an afternoon press conference Thursday. “But I can’t talk about the details at this point because the police are investigating.”
She also brought up her policy when asked by a reporter why she could comment freely on an ongoing OPP investigation of deleted emails regarding the cancelled gas plants and not this investigation.
NDP party policy prohibits Horwath from divulging any details about the investigation including whether or not the accused would be able to run again.
Horwath said she was briefed on the allegations today. Genevieve Ratelle, 19, told the Huffington Post she was sexually assaulted by an Ontario NDP provincial candidate last spring.
Ratelle allegedly met her attacker during a meeting in April, according to the Huffington Post. She eventually began canvassing for the candidate and on one occasion he allegedly rubbed her thigh and tried to kiss her.
She described in detail, another alleged attack at the candidate’s home:
“When we got to his place, he said he needed some help with stuff, and I said ‘OK.’ We got into his place and he told me his wife wasn’t there … then he pushed me against the wall, touched me and forced himself on me,” she told the website. “Even though I was pushing him, I was held back and then he put his hands in my pants.”
She did not name the candidate because she fears legal action and didn’t want his wife finding out through the media, according to the Huffington Post.
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