{"id":185517,"date":"2018-10-14T00:56:36","date_gmt":"2018-10-14T04:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=185517"},"modified":"2018-10-14T00:56:36","modified_gmt":"2018-10-14T04:56:36","slug":"manitoba-mla-says-hes-staying-reports-made-inappropriate-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2018\/10\/14\/manitoba-mla-says-hes-staying-reports-made-inappropriate-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"Manitoba MLA says he’s staying after reports he made inappropriate comments"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“I know what satisfactorily means.” (File Photo<\/a>: Cliff Graydon\/Twitter<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WINNIPEG \u2014 A Progressive Conservative member of the Manitoba legislature says he has no intention of stepping down after reportedly making inappropriate comments to a woman who works for the party’s caucus.<\/p>\n

Cliff Graydon would not comment in detail on reports he suggested the woman sit on his lap during a luncheon where there was a shortage of chairs.<\/p>\n

He said the issue was dealt with to everyone’s satisfaction, and as far as he knows, there is no consideration in caucus to have him resign his seat.<\/p>\n

The Winnipeg Free Press and CBC both quote unnamed sources as saying Graydon made the comment during a recent luncheon, when the woman was unable to find an available chair, and it was reported to higher-ups in the Tory government.<\/p>\n

The Free Press reports the issue was resolved within a matter of hours to the woman’s satisfaction, but the newspaper says the Tory caucus will vote on whether to sanction Graydon \u2014 including possible expulsion \u2014 when the legislature resumes later this month.<\/p>\n

Graydon indicated he considers the matter closed and rejected requests to confirm or deny details of the accusation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s been dealt with satisfactorily and I’m going to leave it at that,\u201d Graydon told The Canadian Press on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what satisfactorily means,\u201d he added later.<\/p>\n

When asked whether he has thought about resigning, he said \u201cI have no reason to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Graydon, in his early 70s, has not ruled out running for re-election in 2020. He has had health challenges in recent years but said Saturday he has yet to make up his mind about running again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s two years down the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Tories will not say what was done to address the woman’s concerns, and Graydon would not say either.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has come to our attention that an inappropriate comment was made to an individual at the Manitoba legislature,\u201d caucus chair Wayne Ewasko said in a written statement that did not mention Graydon by name.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe matter was dealt with immediately in accordance with policies and procedures that respect the impacted individual’s right to privacy and confidentiality, while also ensuring that appropriate measures are taken. \u201c<\/p>\n

This is not the first controversy for Graydon, a government backbencher who represents the Emerson, Man. area, where asylum seekers have been walking across the border from the United States.<\/p>\n

In a post on Twitter in January, he called immigrants a \u201cdrain on society\u201d and also retweeted other people’s posts that called Prime Minister Justin\u00a0Trudeau\u00a0a traitor, a scumbag and a disgrace. Graydon apologized, deleted the tweets and agreed to step back from social media and undergo sensitivity training, the details of which were also not revealed by the Tories.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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