'Stan Struthers has skeletons in his closet': 2 more women share allegations against former NDP minister

Two more women a formerNDPstaffer and Dauphin radio reporter have come forward alleging former cabinet minister StanStruthersinappropriatelytouched and tickled them.

The women reached out afterCBCpublished a story Thursday morning wherefive womenalleged they were subjected to unwanted touchingby the former finance minister.

ShannonVanRaeswas workingas rural outreach coordinator for theNDPin 2010 when she says an encounter withStrutherson a plane trip to Dauphin left her "horrified."

Paige Jeffrey was a radio reporter in Dauphin Struthers'slongtime constituency when Strutherscornered her and tickled her, leaving her"shocked." She says never spoke of the incident until now for fear of retribution from the community.

The new allegations come as Manitoba New Democrat Leader WabKinewtold media Thursdayhis party "deserved to lose the last election" in response to the claims.

Kinewsaidthe partywill launch a commission into the allegations, which the women saywent on for years. They sayStruthers'stouching was an open secretduring his time in office.

"It looks like we failed not just one person, but many people over many years,"Kinewsaid during a news conference held Thursdayafternoon,afterCBCfirst reported the allegations.

"And I want to apologize for that and say it is not right."

• Former MLA dubbed 'Minister Tickles' apologizes after 5 women allege years of unwanted touching

Former staffer recalls 2 incidents

VanRaesrecallsthe exact dayshe says she was first touched by Struthers April 6, 2010.

They were en route to a hemp announcement whenStrutherswas the agriculture minister.

"As soon as we boarded the plane, as soon as we were in the air he began asking me if I was ticklish. I said no, and he immediately began attempting to grope me. He put his hand up my skirt. I said no," she said.

She says she had to sit through the entire press event and then board a plane back with him to Winnipeg.

"I again had to tell him that I was not interested in being tickled. I tried moving farther back in the plane."

'Minister Tickles': Allegations of sexual misconduct against former Manitoba cabinet minister

7 years ago

Duration 2:32

A former politician who was nicknamed "Minister Tickles" is facing allegations of sexual misconduct following an investigation by CBC News. Five complainants have spoken to CBC News, saying that former Manitoba cabinet minister Stan Struthers went around touching and tickling women in an unwanted fashion. Some complained officially, but nothing ever happened. Struthers left politics in 2016. He apologized after the allegations were made public.

In September 2010, she again found herself alone withStruthers.

She said she was called into his office for a meeting. When she arrived, she said thatStruthersdismissed his executive assistant from the room.

"(The) assistant did not want to leave the room, but Stan insisted that he left. He sat down across from me and he grabbed my foot and pulled ittowardshis crotch," she said.

"I was wearing open-toed shoes, he made a comment about the nail polish. I jumped back."

His assistant returned to the office, which ended the encounter, she said.

At that point, she went to a supervisor to complain. To her knowledge, no action was taken. She eventually quit her job.

Dauphin radio reporter touched and tickled

Jeffrey contactedCBCon Thursday to share her story. She says when she was a radio reporter she had occasional contact withStruthers, who was the MLA for the city for 21 years.

She recalled an incident when Gary Doer was premier and was visiting to promote a local senior centre. She says she was cornered byStruthersin the kitchen.

"[He]proceeded to tickle and touch me while his boss and colleagues were in the next room over. I was so shocked at the time that I did nothing," she toldCBCNews. "Upon review, I feared for both my job and reputation within the community, and so I remained silent."

In a statement sent toCBCWednesday,Struthersapologized for his actions. He declined to comment further on Thursday.

"This week I learned of incidents in which my behaviour made former colleagues and staff feel disrespected," he wrote in the Wednesday statement.

"I am sorry. I apologize for any interactions I have had that have been inappropriate and that have caused any person to feel disrespected or uncomfortable."

Strutherssaid his intention was never to treat women as "anything other than equal and respected."

"I have been fortunate to work with many strong, intelligent and talented women and have always valued these relationships."

Both women expressed gratitude the allegations aboutStrutherswere being made public.

"It's time. It's time to tell it because this iscathartic. Idon't have skeletons in my closet.StanStruthershasskeletonsin his closet. And the women who were affected shouldn't be ashamed and they should come forward," saidVanRaes.

"They really need to speak and make sure this culture is killed off."

'Never again'

CBC reported Thursday morning that party officials received at least three complaints about Struthers's tickling and harassment between 2010 and 2015. The Manitoba NDP cannot confirm if there was ever a formal investigation into Struthers, who left politics in 2016.He was never formally disciplined.

Strutherswas first elected in 1995 and was one of fiveministers who resigned from cabinet in 2014 in a revolt against then premier GregSelinger'sleadership. He remained an MLA until 2016.

He held various cabinet portfolios, includingconservation, agriculture, finance and municipal government.

Kinew, who was elected as leader of the provincial Opposition partyafterStruthersleft politics, admits that in the past, political considerations were sometimes put ahead of "doing the right thing." He says that will change under his leadership.

He said he spoke to a woman on Thursday who told him, "If the party would have acted when these first complaints were known, maybe I wouldn't have experienced what I experienced."

Out of respect for the woman's privacy, he did not gointo more details, but said her comments put things into perspective.

"Never again should winning a seat, winning a leadership contest, winning a nomination be put before doing the right thing," he said.

"I think that as I reflect on what is being reported and what these stories are all about, that our party deserved to lose the last election [in 2016]. We lost sight of too much."

'Under theNDP'swatch'

Kinewsaid a commission into the allegations, announced Thursday, will investigate what happened during the years that theNDPwas last in power 1999 to 2016.The commission will interview staffers, along withMLAs, and a report will be created.

"Put simply, I want this commission to answer 'what the heck happened?'"Kinewsaid.

"I want this commission to come back and answer the question: how can a party that espouses that it stands up for vulnerable people instead allow people to be victimized, and when they sought recourse, to look away?This is a very important question that we ought to answer."

How encounters with former cabinet minister Stan Struthers proceeded to tickling

7 years ago

Duration 0:53

Jolle Saltel-Allard, who worked as a press secretary for Stan Struthers during his years as a cabinet minister, describes the unwanted touching that she endured. Stan Struthers apologized for his behaviour.

Further detailsaboutthe commission are still being worked out, including who will be on it, butKinewstressed that it should be led by women.

"It will be a forum for these women, who want to have their voices heard," he said.

"I want this commission to look at the broader picture of how could a culture of permissiveness, with respect to sexual misconduct, be allowed to operate in the legislative building under theNDP'swatch."

If possible, theNDPleader said the report will be releasedpublicly, as long as it protects the privacy of those who wish to come forward to speak about their experience.

Kinewadmitted that given hispast which includes being charged with domestic assault in 2003 he may bean imperfect ally, but he wants to listen to women.

• Woman at centre of WabKinewdomestic assault allegations says she was thrown

"I am working hard to be an ally and will continue to do what I can to make a safe environment for women and all people in our party," he said.

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