O’Toole Requests Investigation into alleged Workplace Complaints against Lakeland MP Shannon Stubbs
Michelle Pinon
News Advertiser
The Globe and Mail reported on Dec. 6 that Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole has called for probe of dissident MP Shannon Stubbs over alleged staff mistreatment.
Robert Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief for The Globe and Mail stated that: “Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole has asked the House of Commons to investigate workplace harassment complaints against Alberta MP Shannon Stubbs, including an allegation that she pressured employees to paint her house.
Mr. O’Toole’s office went to both the Commons human-resources office and the Commons administration office on Friday after The Globe and Mail inquired about the large turnover among Ms. Stubb’s staff. This included two aides who said they went on mental-health sick leave after experiencing verbal abuse and workplace harassment.”
The article also stated that the newspaper would not be identifying the two aides who requested their names be kept confidential. “Both said they would co-operate with the House of Commons inquiry.
One of the former aides, who took sick leave in 2018, said she and another employee felt compelled to paint the Alberta MP’s bedroom in late 2016. The aide said Ms. Stubbs did not directly order them to paint the room in her Vegreville house, but that their work environment would have become unpleasant if they did not do so.”
Ms. Stubbs acknowledged that staff painted her bedroom, but she said she considered it a gift, and that she was surprised to return home to the freshly painted room.
“The painting of the house was a wonderful surprise that I didn’t know about. It was a wonderful gift of kindness from staff members,” Ms. Stubbs said. “I never asked or directed staff to paint my bedroom.”
House of Commons rules do not allow MPs to use parliamentary and constituency employees to perform personal chores, private business or errands unrelated to an MP’s duties.
“With respect to the allegations of improper use of taxpayer resources and staff, this information has been referred to the House of Commons Administration,” Mr. O’Toole’s communications director Josie Sabatino said in a statement.
Ms. Sabatino said Mr. O’Toole’s office heard in January about alleged abusive treatment of Ms. Stubbs’s staff, such as yelling and demeaning behaviour, but was assured by the MP that the “rumours were baseless.”
The Vegreville News Advertiser, (VNA) reached out to Sabatino for information and comment and was referred to The Globe and Mail article. VNA also reached out to Shannon Stubbs constituency office as well as her office in Ottawa, but had not received a response prior to press time.