Patrick Brazeau Resigns

The other evening I was watching APTN News to observe the events of the Goodon Case when Senator Brazeau happened to be interviewed. The issue of his interview that I found interesting was his disclosure that he had gone to the Senate Ethics Commissioner to have him review his disclosure issues and whether there may be a perceived or direct conflict of interest with Mr. Brazeau keeping his Senate’s position and the Presidency of the Congress of Aboriginal People.

In the interview he then disclosed that he would not be participating with the rest of the National Aboriginal leaders at the First Ministers Meeting next week and that CAP would send another representative because for him to participate would be a conflict of interest. I am not sure what more would have been required to make him understand his dilemma but it was clear to me that this was just the first of many examples of why both postings would not work.

I wish Senator Brazeau all the best in his new posting and what ever other issues are still plaguing him in relation to his National organization hopefully they can be dealt with outside of the media process. There are authorities that deal with various types of allegations and can review matters in a fair and unbiased process to ensure that there is a impartial hearing for both parties.

This morning the following two articles appeared in the media:

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/568616

Senator resigns from native congress
Jan 10, 2009 04:30 AM

Joanna Smith OTTAWA BUREAU

OTTAWA–A new Conservative senator facing allegations of sexual harassment stepped down from his job as national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples yesterday.

Patrick Brazeau, 34, had said he wanted to stay on as head of the organization representing off-reserve natives, but a spokesperson for the Prime Minister yesterday viewed his resignation as positive.

"This is a full-time job and having his full energies and focus being on his role in the Senate is a good thing," said Kory Teneycke, director of communications for Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"We look forward to him continuing to move forward advancing aboriginal issues, as he did at the Congress, within our caucus and as a part of our government."

Critics noted Brazeau would draw two six-figure salaries from the public purse if he served as head of the Congress and as a senator.

Brazeau faces a complaint before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario that he sexually harassed an unidentified former Congress staffer in 2007 and 2008, The Globe and Mail has reported. The Congress executive board has said it hired an outside mediation firm to investigate her complaint and cleared Brazeau of wrongdoing.

A second woman who worked for the Congress also filed a grievance against Brazeau alleging he allowed employees to drink in his office, it was reported this week. A Congress spokesperson did not reply to requests for comment yesterday.

David Dennis, president of the B.C. wing of the Congress, said he is looking forward to how the new leadership will address the concerns of "some of the western provinces that were feeling alienated from the national scene for a long time."

Dennis was one of the presidents who spoke out against a head office decision to suspend the Manitoba wing just a few days before its president, Walter Menard, had planned to raise the allegations at an annual meeting in Ottawa last November.

Teneycke said Brazeau would remain a senator, adding "a rigorous background check" had revealed the complaint against him.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090110.BRAZEAU10/TPStory/National

SENATOR'S SAGA

Brazeau picks Senate over aboriginal advocacy

Resignation from national chief's role ends appointee's plan to collect two six-figure salaries

BILL CURRY
January 10, 2009

OTTAWA -- Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau resigned as national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples yesterday, abandoning his controversial plan to hold two six-figure, taxpayer-funded jobs.

Mr. Brazeau said as late as Thursday that he was consulting the Senate ethics officer to see how he might juggle his new job as a senator and his previous job as an advocate for aboriginals who live outside of reserves.

But facing growing criticism from some of his own board members at the aboriginal organization, Mr. Brazeau, 34, announced he would focus solely on the Senate.

"My goal is and has always been to serve Canada's aboriginal peoples and my country to the best of my skills and abilities, in a manner that is accountable, responsible and transparent," said Mr. Brazeau in a statement. "I am committed to bringing this same discipline to my role as a senator in the Parliament of Canada."

Some native leaders had expressed concerns that it would be a conflict of interest for someone to lobby the government on behalf of aboriginals while sitting as a senator in the government caucus. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation had also spoken out against Mr. Brazeau's plans, which they described as an example of double-dipping from the public purse.

A senator's annual salary is $130,400 plus expenses. Mr. Brazeau's salary at the congress was $100,170 plus expenses.

Mr. Brazeau's statement made no reference to other controversies he is facing. A former employee has filed a sexual harassment complaint against him and the Congress with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. A second employee alleged that he allowed an atmosphere of sexual exploitation and heavy drinking at congress headquarters. Some of his own board members expressed concerns over his suspension of Manitoba delegates who opposed him days before his November election to a four-year term as national chief.

Lillian George, a former congress board member who ran against Mr. Brazeau in November, said she hopes Mr. Brazeau will resign from the Senate as well.

"This is just the beginning and I think Mr. Brazeau knows," said Ms. George, who has met with and supports the two women making allegations against the congress and Mr. Brazeau.

Ms. George criticized Mr. Brazeau's original plan to hold on to both large salaries, given the poverty of the people the congress says it represents.

"Him stepping down from the congress is wonderful, but again, I still believe he has questions that need to be answered and I hope that if they do an internal review for his Senate position, like the ethics committee, they will come to see that they've picked the wrong person for that seat," she said.

Mr. Brazeau has said he was cleared of the sexual harassment allegation by an independent investigation. Some board members have expressed concern that they have not been allowed to see a full version of that report. Congress lawyer Michael Chambers said yesterday the report clearly found there was no harassment.

"The investigators had no difficulty, being experienced in these matters, in framing their task and making clear findings that there was no sexual harassment," he said in a statement yesterday.