Churchill denies touching two former NDP cabinet ministers

Education Minister Zach Churchill is denying that he has ever laid a hand on anyone at Province House or outside the legislative chamber.

"At no time have I ever, have I touched somebody in an aggressive way in this chamber or poked anybody's shoulder," Churchill told reporters on his way into the House on Wednesday

The allegations come from two women who sat in cabinet during the first-ever NDP government in Nova Scotia. Ramona Jennex and Denise Peterson-Rafuse each wrote Speaker Kevin Murphy on Monday evening to inform him of their experiences, which date back between four and six years ago.

Jennex says Churchill berated her and poked her shoulder so hard it pushed her backwards. Jennex was in government at the time and Churchill sat on the opposition benches. According to Jennex, the incident happened on April 12, 2012.

Her former cabinet colleague, Denise Peterson-Rafuse, says her encounter happened after question period, when Churchill was Natural Resources minister.

She told CBC News she may have been heckling or questioning Churchill just before he crossed the floor and came up to her desk from behind. She has said Churchill yanked her shoulder with some force.

"I guess what it was, was the strength," said Peterson-Rafuse when asked what was remarkable about the confrontation. "It was not like ... a little tap on the shoulder. I mean it was a yank, that was like anger."

She said it happened before the legislature had a formal harassment policy so she took her concerns to NDP Leader Maureen MacDonald who, according to Peterson-Rafuse, complained to Premier Stephen McNeil about it.

McNeil flatly denied that claim when questioned by reporters.

"At no time had anyone raised with me the issue of a member of our caucus physically touching any member of the opposition," he said.

"I can assure you I would clearly remember that and that member would know what my thoughts would be on that issue."

The premier and the other party leaders were copied on the emails sent by Jennex and Peterson-Rafuse.

McNeil said he asked staff to go through his email messages going back to 2012 and has found no evidence anyone raised the issue with him. 

"There (have) been times when people have talked to me about the enthusiasm of some of our members,  for sure," he said. "We were in opposition. We were young guys.

"But at no time, let me be clear about this, at no time did anyone reach out to me or tell me about a physical altercation."

'3 different, separate incidents'

Peterson-Rafuse said she was motivated to write the Speaker after the Liberals used their majority at Province House to defeat a motion to have the legislature's Internal Affairs Committee examine a complaint by PC MLA Tim Houston.

The opposition leader accused Churchill of grabbing him by the shoulders during a shouting match between the two of them outside the chamber on budget day.

Peterson-Rafuse said she wasn't aware anyone else had written to the Speaker when she sent her email.

"Now you're looking at three different, separate incidents so I would say that's a pattern and that it is inappropriate for anybody and it should be looked into," she said.