Fate of Rick Dykstra's 2015 candidacy decided in conference call with Stephen Harper

The fate of former MP Rick Dykstra's candidacy for the Conservative Party was settled during a conference call with former prime minister Stephen Harper in the fall of 2015, CBC News has learned.

The party was grappling withwhat to do about a sexual assault accusationagainst the incumbent Conservative MP.

A source familiar with the campaign, who spoke to CBC News on condition of anonymity, saidit was a difficult conversation that went "around the block a few times."

Ultimately, it was up toHarper, as party leader, to make the decision.

In a statement released on Friday night, Harper said he "understood that the matter had been investigated by the police and closed a year prior."

"Given this understanding of the situation, I did not believe that I could justify removing him as a candidate," the former prime minister said. "Recently, much more information has come to light, including information to the effect that the original investigation may not have been complete."

Dykstra'scandidacy has been the subject of questions since Maclean's magazine reported hewas accused of sexual assault in 2014. The allegations have not been proven and Dykstra's lawyers have told Maclean's that the allegations are "false."

In a second report on Friday, Maclean's revealed internal emails in which Jenni Byrne, the campaign manager, tersely raised questions about Dykstra's candidacy.

According to emailsseen by CBCNews and verified by multiple sources,Guy Giorno, the campaign chair, responded to one of those emails by reiterating that Arthur Hamilton, the Conservative party's lawyer, "should be tasked to review."

"I thought that is what we had already asked for," Byrne responded.

"Apologies. Good," wrote Giorno.

According to the emails published by Maclean's, details of Hamilton's conversation with Dykstra, including the fact police had investigated and closed the file,were relayed withinthe campaign team the next day, on Sept. 8, 2015.

Internal dysfunction

The source familiar with the campaignsaid, beyond theDykstrasituation, there was a great deal ofinternal dysfunction andunhappinessat that point in the Conservative campaign.

The source also suggestedthat a properly functioning campaign might have acted quicker to investigate aletter sent by the lawyer forDykstra'saccuser in late August.

Signs of thatdiscord became apparent againthis week.

In a statement on Saturday, Giornosaid that "earlier this week anonymous sources were pushing a false story that the decision to keep Rick Dykstraas a candidate was mine, overruling a senior official with a contrary view."

"I made no such decision. I overruled nobody," Giornosaid.

In his own statement, Ray Novak, Harper's former chief of staff, said "the matter was not taken lightly by anyone involved."

"This was an extremely difficult decision that ultimately turned on whether a closed investigation without charges was sufficient grounds for firing," Novak said. "Certainly, with the benefit of hindsight and additional information, Rick Dykstrashould have been fired as a candidate."

Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer has said an independent investigation will look into what happened around Dykstra's candidacy and a report will be made public.

Talking points providedto Conservativesover the weekend and obtained by CBC News said the purpose of thethird-party investigation "is to determine what information was known and by whom, how that information was shared, and what process was used to make decisions."

Dykstralost the riding of St. Catharines in Ontario, but then went on to be elected president of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. He resigned late last month, hours before Maclean's published its story with the allegation of sexual assault.

Scheer calls for independent investigation into sexual assault claims

7 years ago

Duration 3:35

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he has called for an independent investigation that the party knew about allegations of sexual assault by one of it's MPs.