Harassment complaints against Liberal MNA dropped

Frederic Beauchemin, MNA for Marguerite-Bourgeoys walks in the Quebec Liberal general council meeting, Saturday, October 14, 2023 in Drummondville Que. Beauchemin was excluded of the Quebec Liberal caucus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The complaints of psychological harassment against the Liberal MNA for Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Frédéric Beauchemin, have been dropped following a mediation process between the two parties.

"At the end of this mediation process, all the complaints and allegations have been withdrawn by mutual agreement between all the parties involved, both at the PLQ and the Quebec national assembly," said the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in a news release.

According to information provided to The Canadian Press, Beauchemin is likely to be reinstated in the Liberal caucus on Friday.

The MNA was excluded from the caucus last October after complaints of psychological harassment were lodged against him by the president of the party's youth wing, Élyse Moisan. She alleged that she had felt harassed, intimidated and threatened by Beauchemin's team.

A complaint was filed with Official Opposition Whip Filomena Rotiroti under the Policy on the Prevention and Management of Harassment in the Workplace of the National Assembly, where Moisan works as a researcher.

A second complaint was sent to the PLQ's legal commission.

The MNA has always maintained that he has nothing to reproach himself for in this matter.

So far, Beauchemin is the only person who has shown any interest in running to succeed Dominique Anglade as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.

The MNA was campaigning for the leadership contest to be launched quickly, but the camp in favour of a race in 2025 won out instead.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Dec. 15, 2023.