Chagger never told of allegations against staffer because he’d already quit
OTTAWA — Liberal cabinet minister Bardish Chagger was never told about allegations that a senior staffer had acted inappropriately towards a job applicant because he had already left Ottawa and returned to the private sector, her spokesman said Monday.
“I find these behaviours entirely unacceptable,” Chagger, the minister for small business and tourism, said in response to questions about allegations that Vahid Vidah, her former policy adviser, had made sexually suggestive remarks to a young woman applying for a job.
“They are not tolerated — not in my office, not in the government,” said Chagger, who is also the government House leader.
“So, when I was made aware of this, it was last week, and our office is definitely looking at finding out why I didn’t know sooner.”