TVO launches 3rd-party investigation into Steve Paikin over sexual harassment allegations

Ontario'spublic broadcaster has launched a third-party investigation into journalist Steve Paikinover allegations of sexual harassmentmade by a former Toronto mayoral candidate.

A statement from TVO chief executive officer Lisa de Wilde released Monday morning said the broadcaster became aware of the allegations on Saturday afterPaikin received an email from Sarah Thomson,relating to comments he allegedly made to her ata 2010 lunch.

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"TVO does not tolerate sexual harassment. We believe it is important that allegations be fully heard and investigated. Therefore, TVO is appointing an independent third party to investigate Ms. Thomson's allegation," de Wilde said.

TVOdid not repeat what was in Thomson's email, but said the former mayoral candidate had "made references to this allegation" on both her website and on social media.

CBC News has not independently verified the allegations.

'No recollection'

In a Feb. 2post on her website Women's Post, Thomson describes a lunch atGrano, a restaurantnear Yonge Street and EglintonAvenueWest, that she said she attended along with her assistant and a political talk show host, whom she does not idenitfy.

"There is still one man whose actions haunt me," Thomson wrote."Not five minutes into the lunch the host asked me if I would sleep with him. My assistant almost spit his drink all over the table."

Thomson writes that she replied she would never do that and then excusedherself to call her campaign manager, though it's also not clear to whom she was referring andCBCToronto was unable to confirm the identity of her campaign manager at the time.

But John Tory Jr., a campaign adviser to Thomson at the time, said in an email toCBCToronto that he has "no recollection of any such event or phone call,"adding he first heard of the allegation in news reports over the weekend.

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Her post goes on to say that the host has since approached her several times, usually at political functions, with the proposition.

De Wilde says Paikin immediately notified TVO of the email.

Based on the evidence received so far, the broadcaster says,TVO sees "no reason to remove Mr. Paikin from his role" as host for its flagship programThe Agenda,pending the outcome of the investigation.

TVOsaid it would not be commenting further.

Thomson ran for mayor in the 2010 and 2014 elections, and saidRob Ford gropedher in 2013. Ford called the accusations"absolutely, completely false."

Thomson has declined to make a comment toCBCToronto about her allegation, saying, "I am not looking to be paraded through the press as I was last time, noram I looking to shame Steve."