P.E.I.'s Liberal government failed to follow procedures for sexual harassment complaints in an incident involving an MLA and a deputy minister, interim Tory leader Olive Crane said.

P.E.I. interim Tory leader Olive Crane says deputy health minister Rory Beck should have been immediately removed from his duties.
(CBC)

News of the incident came out Tuesday, as P.E.I.'s deputy health minister, Rory Beck, took a leave of absence following a complaint by MLA Cynthia Dunsford. Dunsford said Beck behaved inappropriately during an encounter in a Charlottetown bar in July, and that the behaviour was sexual in nature. Dunsford took the complaint to the premier's chief of staff, and a letter of reprimand was placed in Beck's file.

Crane said an independent investigation should have been conducted and Beck should have been immediately removed from his duties.

"This is the procedure followed under the civil service sexual harassment policies, and the same should surely apply to those at the most senior level of government," Crane said in a news release Wednesday.

Crane said the handling of the matter by the chief of staff represented a double standard that sends a discouraging message to all civil service workers.

Premier Robert Ghiz "has tried to sweep this matter under the rug," Crane said.

"Only when it became apparent that this matter was about to come into the public eye did Mr. Beck announce he was taking a leave of absence with pay."

Ghiz should have taken more decisive action to discipline Beck, Crane said.