Calgary MP Darshan Kang quits Liberal caucus, denying allegations of sexual harassment
'I wish to focus my efforts at this time on clearing my name,' says Calgary Skyview MP
Calgary MP Darshan Kang has resigned from the Liberal caucus amid allegations of sexual harassment.
The Calgary Skyview MP issued a statement Thursday announcing he was resigning "effective immediately."
"I wish to focus my efforts at this time on clearing my name," he wrote.
"I appreciate that Parliament has provided for due process, and a fair and objective policy for resolving this matter. I also very much appreciate that I am being provided an opportunity to provide my perspective to the independent investigator of the chief human resources office of Parliament," he said.
"However, I do not want my present circumstances to further distract from any of the good work being carried out by my colleagues in the government."
Kang has denied any wrongdoing.
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Earlier in the week, Kang took a medical leave of absence, saying he was under an "incredible amount of stress."
The Hill Times in Ottawa first reported the allegations in early August, tracing the complaint back to an unnamed employee at Kang's constituency office in northeast Calgary.
Earlier Thursday, the newspaper also reported allegations by a woman who worked in Kang's Calgary constituency office when he was a MLA in the Alberta legislature.
A Calgary campaign strategist says it will be hard to recover from a situation like this.
"There are no 12-step recovery programs for sexual harassment," Stephen Carter said.
"We have seen other politicians go off for addiction issues and things like that, outside of their control, but sexual harassment is well within your control. One allegation you can say is something that never happened or there is a false accusation, but when it becomes a pattern, it becomes almost impossible to survive."
None of the allegations against Kang has been proven.
Kang was elected as an MP in 2015.
Before entering federal politics, he was a two-term MLA representing Calgary-McCall. He was first elected in 2008.