Psychological harassment: Tétrault apologizes and hangs on in spite of everything

Photo Didier Debusschere
The liberal candidate Eric Tétrault does not “sees no reason not to continue” his election campaign in Louis-Hébert, despite the investigation for psychological harassment to which he was subjected during his time at ArcelorMittal.

Marc-André Gagnon

Wednesday, September 6, 2017 12:47

UPDATE
Wednesday, September 6, 2017 12:53

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The liberal candidate Eric Tétrault does not “sees no reason not to continue” his election campaign in Louis-Hébert, despite the investigation for psychological harassment to which he was subjected during his time at ArcelorMittal.

After the controversy in which he swam as soon as the announcement of his candidacy, because of his presence in the dressing room of Lino Zambito with Nathalie Normandeau in 2008, Mr. Tétrault has been once more caught up by his past.

The day after the official opening of the liberal candidate, The Press revealed on Wednesday that Mr. Tétrault has harassed psychologically two women, in addition to intimidating and threatening other employees at the time when he was director of public affairs at ArcelorMittal.

The complaints were so serious that the company decided, a few months before Mr. Tétrault do not leave their job, order an investigation to an outside firm.

According to The Press, the expert would have arrived at the conclusion that the two complainants had indeed suffered psychological harassment on the part of Mr. Tétrault.

The daily also reports that according to the report, Mr. Tétrault was “difficult to recognize its wrongs”.

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In a first time, Mr. Tétrault has explained to The Press by asserting that, to his knowledge, “no complaints” had been brought against him at the time, and that there was “nothing established in the complaints”.

After the publication of the article, the liberal candidate has changed gradually its version of the facts.

In an interview with radio-Canada, early Wednesday morning, Mr. Tétrault has acknowledged that he has “not always been the more diplomatic” with his former colleagues at ArcelorMittal, where he worked from 2011 to 2014. “You need to recognize his wrongs in life”, he added.

A little later, on tv, Mr. Tétrault has offered an apology to the two women who filed a complaint against him at the time.

In front of the microphone of VAT News, the liberal candidate has admitted he had “a behavior a little too square, a little too abrasive” at a time when he was working for the producers of iron ore products.

Mr. Tétrault has also attempted to justify this behavior by the “very difficult environment” that prevailed in this industry.

The liberal candidate, who is said to live “a difficult day”, says that he still has the support of the prime minister Philippe Couillard and he intends to, despite everything, to continue its campaign “until the end”.

More details to come…