Jean-François Lisée wants an explanation from Liberal house leader Jean-Marc Fournier on how a complaint against MNA Gerry Sklavounos—from at least a year before the alleged sexual assault that forced him out of the Liberal caucus this week—went nowhere.
The new leader of the Parti Quebecois says a former political attaché for the party made a complaint in 2012 or 2013 against Sklavounos, alleging inapropriate behaviour.
At the time, Fournier was the interim leader of the party, and Sklavounos was deputy leader.
Lisée says the PQ staffer's complaint was forwarded to the Liberal whip, adding the alleged inappropriate behavior then ceased.
The PQ leader says it is "impossible to believe" that Fournier was not aware of the complaint, yet Sklavounos remained deputy leader and was further appointed deputy premier by Premier Philippe Couillard after the Liberals' victory in the 2014 general election.
On Friday, Couillard said he knew nothing of the sexual assault allegations leveled this week against Sklavounos, who has left the caucus to sit as an independent.
Couillard told reporters he learned of the news on Wednesday and Thursday as everyone else did.
However, Sklavounos' the alleged victim, Alice Paquet, says she filed a complaint with the police at some point over the past few months.
She alleges she was sexually assaulted twice by the MNA for Laurier-Dorion back in 2014 when she was 19 and working as a hostess at a Quebec City restaurant frequented by politicians.
When complaints are brought against members of the National Assembly, there is a procedure under which the party chief's office is informed, according to Lisée.
"How is it that when Ms. Paquet filed her complaint in March that Couillard's office was not notified? It's very hard to believe," said Lisée.
Sklavounos has not been formally charged with sexual assault and has maintained his innocence.