Kirkland blasts MP’s reinstatement

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This article was published 20/07/2018 (2638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Afghanistan war veteran from Brandon who accused Quebec NDP MP Christine Moore of inappropriate conduct five years ago is denouncing an investigator’s report that absolved of her any wrongdoing.

Glen Kirkland, a realtor from Brandon who served in the Canadian Forces for nine years, said the investigation into allegations that Moore sexually harassed him was not independent, but rather led by the NDP.

He called the investigation “a complete joke” and said their report has not even been made public.

“I have nothing to gain from this,” he said. “So unfortunately, I’m just another Manitoban that got f—– by the NDP.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh suspended Moore from caucus in May after allegations emerged that Kirkland, who after testifying at a parliamentary committee on June 5, 2013, about the treatment of injured soldiers, was asked by Moore to come to her office, where she allegedly offered him gin despite his refusal, having been on antidepressants and painkillers.

Kirkland was severely injured in a 2008 Taliban bombing, which killed three of his comrades and left him with damaged hearing, post-traumatic stress and other injuries.

While in the MP’s office, Kirkland said he had a few drinks and was later followed by Moore back to his hotel, where they had sex.

In the weeks that followed, he said that Moore continued to send him explicit messages, tried to meet him at a golf course in Saskatchewan and then arrived unannounced at his home in Brandon.

Kirkland likened the interaction as a power imbalance between a judge and jury, and a witness.

“You can’t give consent,” he said. “So I’m not claiming rape, but in that situation, how can you give consent?”

After suspending Moore, the NDP launched an investigation conducted by Deborah Jelly, the managing director of Charron Human Resources Inc.

During a press conference in Montreal on Thursday, Singh announced the investigation had cleared Moore of misconduct allegations.

“The investigation has concluded that the allegations against Madame Moore were not supported by the evidence, that there was no misconduct amounting to either harassment or sexual harassment and that she did not abuse her position of authority,” Singh said.

“I am therefore very pleased to announce that Madame Moore will resume her full duties in our caucus.”

Singh added that the investigation was “thorough” and included interviews with several witnesses as well as examination of the evidence.

Moore, meanwhile, has said she loved Kirkland and argued that their relationship was consensual.

Speaking to The Canadian Press last May, Moore disputed Kirkland’s account and provided photos, emails, text messages and flight itineraries to show the two were involved in a romantic relationship.

She said that she ended the relationship in October 2013 due to the geographic distance between them as well as Kirkland’s difficult divorce.

Moore, who has held the Quebec riding of Abitibi-Temiscamingue since 2011, has threatened to sue Kirkland for defamation, as well as several columnists who reported on his comments.

Speaking to the press in Rouyn-Noranda, Que., on Thursday, Moore said the legal process is ongoing.

“The process was very long,” Moore said. “I’ve known the truth since the very beginning. I knew they couldn’t find anything because nothing happened. The relationship was consensual.

“I’m really happy now it (the report) has been tabled and that I’m a full member of the NDP caucus with my full duties.”

Kirkland, however, denied the relationship was romantic and described Moore as “crazy.”

“I truly hope she gets the help that she needs because to feel like she can do (that) and take advantage of someone that was in a vulnerable situation and not feel like she did anything wrong is very sick, the fact she’s representing Canada.”

He said if the genders were switched, a very different conversation would have been held about consent.

» mlee@brandonsun.com, with files from The Canadian Press

» Twitter: @mtaylorlee