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TORONTO — Ontario’s interim Progressive Conservative leader says he is shocked and disgusted by sexual assault allegations reported against the party’s former president.
Vic Fedeli says he takes the allegations against Rick Dykstra, who resigned late Sunday, very seriously.
Fedeli says he will take steps to ensure the workplace is safe for party members and staffers in the wake of the allegations, and will move forward with finding a new president.
Dykstra announced his resignation on Twitter hours before Maclean’s Magazine reported that he was accused of sexually assaulting a young Conservative staffer in 2014, when he was an MP.
Dykstra said in his statement that he would “step aside” to let someone else take the helm as the party chooses a new leader. He did not reference the allegations reported by Maclean’s, but the magazine said Dykstra told them he “will be responding.”
Maclean’s said the staffer reported the incident to Ottawa police in 2014, alleging Dykstra sexually assaulted her after a party. The magazine reported that senior Conservative campaign operatives were aware of the allegations and decided to allow him to run anyway.
Dykstra went on to lose his St. Catharines, Ont., riding, and became president of Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives.
The allegations against Dykstra come days after Patrick Brown resigned as PC leader following a CTV News report about accusations of sexual misconduct. Brown has emphatically called the allegations false.
The Canadian Press has been unable to independently verify the allegations against Dykstra or Brown.
