Who is Gerry Sklavounos, MNA facing assault allegations?
Liberal MNA for Laurier-Dorion steps down from caucus amid sexual assault allegation
In an introductory video on his official National Assembly website, Laurier-Dorion MNA Gerry Sklavounos thanked voters in his Montreal riding for honouring him with a fourth consecutive mandate to represent them in Quebec City.
On Thursday, the 41-year-old's political fortunes took a sudden dip under the weight of allegations that he sexually assaulted Quebec City restaurant hostess Alice Paquet in 2014.
Sklavounos, who was serving as Premier Philippe Couillard's deputy house leader, promptly resigned from the Liberal caucus Thursday.
The MNA was not named by Paquet, who went public with her allegations Wednesday at a vigil organized to condemn a rash of alleged break-ins and sexual assaults at Laval University over the weekend.
In a statement, Couillard confirmed Thursday evening that Sklavounos had been asked to leave caucus.
'Learned to dream' in Laurier-Dorion
In his introductory video, Sklavounos talks proudly of growing up in the riding he represented in the National Assembly.
Born in 1974, Sklavounos says he moved to Laurier-Dorion at the age of six with his mother and sister.
"I experienced the best years of my childhood," he says.
"I met my best friends, I learned to dream."
Sklavounos attended CEGEP Vanier and studied law at McGill University, earning is degree in 1998.
He was called to the Quebec bar in 1999.
Re-elected three times
Sklavounos articled with the Department of Justice Canada and went on to practice criminal law for seven years before entering politics.
He was first elected in Laurier-Dorion in 2007 and was re-elected three times, in 2008, 2012 and 2014.
Sklavounos is also prominent in Montreal's Greek community and has held executive positions with the Hellenic Canadian Congress and the Hellenic Scholarships Foundation.
In his MNA video, Sklavounos points to this heritage and his riding's ethnic diversity as a source of pride.
"I want to build a stronger Quebec for my children, for our children, for all of us. Thanks for trusting me with this job," he said in the video.