Political rivals saddened, surprised by allegations against Jamie Baillie

Stephen McNeil and Gary Burrill had different reactions to the news their political rival, former Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie, had been dumped by his party and resigned his seat in the House on Wednesday.

The Liberal leader said he was taken aback when he learned Baillie had been the subject of a complaint of sexual harassment by a female staffer.

"I'm always surprised when I hear those kinds of allegations have been brought forward," McNeil told reporters following a regular cabinet meeting Thursday.

Burrill had a completely different emotional response.

"Saddened is the word I'd use — for everyone involved and particularly for the person who has endured this harassment in their workplace," he said.

Both men said the time had come for an end to harassment in the workplace.

"Every Nova Scotian should feel safe from harassment of any kind in their workplace and in their home, anywhere in this province and in this country," said McNeil.

Baillie announced last fall that he would be leaving politics once the next leader of the party was chosen. But on Wednesday morning, he wrote on Twitter that he was resigning both as party leader and as MLA for Cumberland South, citing "personal reasons."

Later in the day, the party announced that it received a complaint of "inappropriate behaviour" involving Baillie in late December. After arranging an independent investigation and receiving the investigator's report on Tuesday night, the party requested and accepted Baillie's resignation on Wednesday morning.

CBC News has made attempts to contact both Baillie and the complainant, but has not received a response from either.

Burrill said he sees a silver lining.

"Sexist behaviours which were part of the landscape for many years are no longer the accepted part of the landscape," he said. "This is a wonderful and major improvement and so we can look forward to the day when we won't be having these discussions anymore at all."

Baillie's resignation as the representative for Cumberland South means a byelection will be needed to fill the seat.

McNeil said he would turn his mind to it once he returned from a 10-day trade mission to Asia.

"When I've had to call byelections I haven't waited that long," he said. "I certainly won't leave it vacant for very long."

According to law, the premier has six months to set a date for a byelection and that date can be as long as another six months away.