MHA Colin Holloway files complaints against 4 politicians
First male MHA to make bullying, intimidation allegations
Terra Nova Liberal MHA Colin Holloway has filed complaints against four politicians, from all parties in the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature.
Two of the complaints are against former cabinet members Eddie Joyce and Dale Kirby, CBC News has learned.
Holloway filed those complaints with Premier Dwight Ball's office Monday afternoon.
He's the first male MHA to file complaints in a chaotic week of allegations and accusations touched off April 24 in Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly.
"I just want this bullying and intimidation to end," Holloway told CBC on Tuesday. He declined to be specific about his allegations.
ServiceNL Minister Sherry Gambin-Walsh has lodged a formal complaint about Joyce, while PC MHA Tracey Perry has said she plans to do so also.
Former Finance Minister Cathy Bennett told CBC News there is a systemic bullying problem in the Liberal caucus and that she was intimidated and isolated.
"There comes a time when enough is enough," Holloway told reporters just before Question Period Tuesday.
"This has gone on for a period of time and to see that my other colleagues, who have been subjected to the same kind of behaviour that I have been subjected to … I needed to come forward."
Twitter account subject of police complaint
Following question period Tuesday afternoon, Holloway also said he has contacted the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary over the anonymous Twitter account @WackjobNL.
Both he and fellow backbencher Pam Parsons filed harassment complaints with police.
The @WackjobNL account was suspended in the last few days.
Asked why he would give the "troll" account any weight, Holloway said it's believed the owner of the account is someone close to the party and is possibly within the Liberal caucus.
"I think there was some reference that it might be somebody that is very close to all of us, and I have no idea ... so I need to determine that," he said.
If Kirby and Joyce were invited back into cabinet, Holloway said, "that would disappoint me."
NDP Leader Gerry Rogers, who is also on the receiving end of a complaint by Holloway, called for the premier's resignation.
As for that, Holloway offered no comment.
"You can appreciate, I've been subjected to a fair amount of harassment by a couple of cabinet ministers. I've been through a lot this week. I've been through a lot these last two years … I'm having a challenging time."
Complaints against party leaders
On Monday in the House of Assembly, former PC leader Paul Davis noted Holloway himself is the subject of a complaint from the Town of Port Blandford. A tearful Holloway later noted the complaint against him relates to a dispute over clear-cutting in the area, and is not in the same category of official complaints that prompted Ball to remove Joyce and Kirby from caucus.
On Tuesday, Holloway told CBC News that he had filed complaints against Davis and Rogers for remarks they made about the Port Blandford issue.
A statement issued Tuesday afternoon by the commissioner for legislative standards said the Port Blandford complaint was made to his office, but not every complaint from the public results in an investigation.
When asked about complaints against HIM in the past, specifically investigation into text he sent St. Brendan’s Mayor Veronica Broomfield, he said he learned from his mistake, and apologized. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbcnl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbcnl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nlpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nlpoli</a>
—@McCabeMeg"The commissioner is currently reviewing the matter to determine whether or not to conduct an inquiry," reads the statement from Bruce Chaulk.
Progressive Conservative leader Ches Crosbie says he doesn't plan to discipline Davis.
"I just don't see the substance of the objection here or the complaint. I'm not getting it. So if the commissioner decides there's substance to the complaint, we'll cross that bridge when it's come to it," said Crosbie.
Rogers said she still hasn't had a chance to see Holloway's complaint.
Joyce was kicked out of caucus on Thursday, while Kirby's ouster came Monday. On Tuesday morning, former finance minister Cathy Bennett says she resigned from her cabinet position because of bullying within caucus and cabinet.