‘Disgusting’ behaviour

Senate leader urges disgraced senator Meredith to step down

that could damage the Senate.

The report said Meredith used his Senate cellphone for explicit chats with the young woman, described as “Ms. M.” He tried to help her land an internship on Parliament Hill and offered other help.

Conservative Sen. David Wells of Newfoundland and Labrador called Meredith’s behaviour “disgusting” and agreed he needs to surrender his Senate seat.

“I’d be very disappointed if he walked through the doors of the Senate again,” Wells said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it’s up to the Senate, not him, to decide what to do about Meredith. He did say, however, that politicians have to show themselves worthy of the public trust.

“It is not for me to weigh in how the Senate should continue to conduct itself,” Trudeau said.

Trudeau has done his best to cut partisan ties with the Senate, dropping Liberal senators from his caucus and appointing so-called independents to the upper chamber.

He says he wants a Senate independent of the Commons, which ultimately limits what he can do about a misbehaving senator.

“Sen. Meredith brought into the relationship the power and influence of the office of senator, while Ms. M was a vulnerable teenager,” Ricard wrote in her report, released Thursday.

She said she believed that Meredith, an ordained minister, had sex with the woman at least once before she turned 18 and twice after she turned 18.

The report said Meredith acknowledged having sexual relations at least once with the woman after she turned 18.