'Sexual harassment is a pervasive problem within politics': Former Alta. government staffer
EDMONTON -
A former Alberta legislature staffer, who went public with allegations of sexual harassment against a former MLA, says she was not surprised to hear recent accusations of sexual harassment and intoxication inside government offices.
In 2018, Kristin Raworth accused former MLA and federal cabinet minister Kent Hehr of sexual harassment. The results of the investigation were never made public. He resigned from cabinet that year and lost his federal seat in 2019.
Given she believes sexual harassment is a “pervasive problem within politics,” Raworth was not shocked to hear a former staff member of Alberta’s United Conservative government had filed a lawsuit against the premier’s office alleging she was fired for speaking out about sexual harassment on behalf of a female colleague, heavy drinking and a “poisoned work environment.”
None of the allegations in the claim by Ariella Kimmel have been tested in court. No statement of defence has been filed.
Raworth said stories like hers and the one brought forward by Kimmel are the result of decades of ignoring sexual harassment in the workplace.
“The whisper network exists as a way of protecting ourselves when people in power wouldn’t do that for us and should have done that for us,” Raworth told CTV News Edmonton.
When Kimmel was fired in February 2020, she was Minister Doug Schweitzer’s chief of staff. Schweitzer said on Wednesday he knew very little about the claims until reports surfaced and that government leaders need to be held to a high standard.
The premier’s office has committed to an independent review of human resource policies for political staff.
But Raworth says women need to feel safe to come forward and those responsible need to face consequences.
“There needs to be accountability,” she said.
“If you are a cabinet minister who is getting drunk in your office and yelling at a staffer, you should absolutely not be a cabinet minister anymore.”
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski
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