NDP MP who alleges 'sex without consent' with Massimo Pacetti 'open' to resolution

A New Democrat MP who told CBC News Tuesday she had "sex without consent" with ex-Liberal MP Massimo Pacetti has also told Radio-Canada she'd be willing to participate in some kind of process to deal with her allegations.

"I would be open to participate in an independent and confidential process," she said in French, but she says to date the only process she's been made aware of would require her to make a formal complaint to House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer or the board of internal economy.

She said she had no assurances that the process would remain confidential, or how it would work. 

She told Radio-Canada she does not want to complain to police.

She said she didn't know how to proceed based on what she was hearing in the media. She also told Radio-Canada she'd asked her party for more information but hadn't received any. 

The MP said she spoke to NDP Leader Tom Mulcair for a few minutes, but that she was in closer touch with NDP whip Nycole Turmel, and others.

Radio-Canada also asked her about a process under consideration by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, which would involve hiring an independent investigator to handle the matter. 

She said if the process was confidential, she would participate in an independent process initiated by the Liberal Party.

Confusion over process?

Mulcair said on Wednesday his party was unclear on the process suggested by Scheer.

CBC News reported the procedure and House affairs committee agreed to strike a special subcommittee to investigate how to handle future allegations of harassment amongst MPs. The move came at the request of Scheer.

Scheer offered House resources, including its informal conflict resolution and mediation services. In a letter to Liberal whip Judy Foote outlining his offer, Scheer noted that all of these services "place a particular emphasis on maintaining confidentiality and impartiality." He repeated the offer again this week.

Mulcair said Turmel wrote a letter to Scheer on Tuesday asking him for clarification. "What are you talking about here, because we're not sure whether it's prospective, retrospective, what it would apply to?"

"You can't mediate something like this, obviously. So what exactly is on the table?" Mulcair said after his weekly caucus meeting on Wednesday.

The NDP leader reiterated his call for all parties to sit down and work out a process to deal with the complaints.

Trudeau said the Speaker's office is the best place to launch "an independent, confidential, third party process."

"We are hopeful that's exactly what's going to happen," Trudeau said on Wednesday after his party's caucus meeting.

"I think one of the important elements of the process is to give the former Liberal MPs an opportunity to tell their sides of the stories, and to be able to both reassure and encourage individuals who come forward with allegations and complaints that there is a process whereby their stories will be taken seriously."

Turmel said on Tuesday that her party was in "a lot of discussions" with the complainant and another female NDP MPs who claims harassment by ex-Liberal MP Scott Andrews.

"The question right now is, if they decide to come out, what will be the process? Will it be confidential? Who will be involved? And what they can do [as a] next step? That's where they are," Turmel said.

Pacetti issued a statement Tuesday that said he is "troubled that the complainant chose to air these allegations in the media, as this is inconsistent with statements conveyed through her party that privacy and fairness must be respected for both sides."

He also said there is no way to evaluate the veracity of the claims.