Former NDP staffer files lawsuit against MP over treatment at work

A former Parliament Hill staffer is suing her one-time boss, accusing the NDP MP of acting in a tyrannical way in refusing to deal with harassment allegations under his watch and saying the party offered her a new job in exchange for dropping her grievance.

In what is the third high-profile harassment case in federal politics in the past week, a statement of claim was filed in Ontario Superior Court Friday by Fabiola Ferro, a 34-year-old former parliamentary assistant, against Sylvain Chicoine, 44, a Quebec NDP MP first elected in 2011. The lawsuit claims damages of $194,000.

However, Mr. Chicoine and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair each said the allegations have already been found by an internal review to be baseless, a decision Ms. Ferro did not appeal.

Her lawsuit nonetheless comes two days after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau suspended two of his MPs from caucus, saying theyd been accused of personal misconduct others have since called it harassment against two NDP MPs. How those cases will proceed, however, remained unclear Friday.

Ms. Ferros lawsuit says she began working for Mr. Chicoine in September, 2011. She alleges that within a few months, she began to face harassment from another employee of Mr. Chicoines, identified in her lawsuit as David Cimon.

Ms. Ferro said she faced menacing and insulting comments from the employee and was told on two occasions that she could do certain jobs because she did not have children. Ms. Ferro alleges she raised these issues several times with Mr. Chicoine and claims the MP displayed a sexist and misogynist attitude by siding with Mr. Cimon. Ms. Ferro alleged Mr. Chicoines conduct led to a poisoned, unhealthy, toxic and humiliating work environment

The allegations have not been proved in court. No statement of defence has been filed.

Ms. Ferro had previously filed an internal complaint, and Mr. Cimon later filed his own counter-claim, according to her lawsuit. Both claims were dismissed on May 9, 2014, by an anti-harassment committee that includes an official from the union representing NDP staff.

In a written statement Friday, Mr. Chicoine said he treated the initial harassment claim seriously but that it was found to be baseless after an investigation. I am confident that the courts will reach the same conclusion, he said.

Mr. Mulcair said the matter was one of cross-accusations of two employees against each other, and pointed out his party was the only one with a union representing staff. Ill let the courts determine whether or not anything further is going to actually happen, but frankly as a lawyer I can tell you I have my doubts, he said.

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Former NDP staffer files lawsuit against MP over treatment at work