After telling the legislature Thursday he didn't know about the Murdoch Carriere investigation before it hit the headlines, Premier Lorne Calvert quickly reversed himself.

During question period, Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Krawetz asked: "Was the premier ever briefed by any government official on the Murdoch Carriere investigation and the subsequent disciplinary action prior to April 1st, 2003?" Calvert said no.

But summoning reporters later in the day, Calvert said he had made a mistake and, in fact, he did know about the situation before that date, when the first media reports appeared of sexual harassment allegations against Carriere.

"I didn't speak to that question in the house because … in the preamble to that question I wasn't aware of what he was saying over there," he said.
 
Carriere is the former director of fire management and forest protection in Prince Albert who was fired in April 2003 after allegations were made that he sexually harassed some female government employees.

Guilty of assault 

In 2006, he was found guilty of assaulting two women, but not guilty of two counts of sexual assault.

Carriere sued the government and several newspapers over information released to the media in connection with the case. The province recently gave him $275,000 in an out-of-court settlement.

Calvert told reporters Thursday he reviewed his files and realized he did know about the Carriere situation six days before it made the news, when he had received a letter from one of the alleged victims.

Meeting sought

She told him several women had lodged sexual harassment allegations against Carriere, that a government report had determined there were grounds for the allegations and that there was an ongoing RCMP investigation.

The woman wanted to meet with Calvert because she thought Carriere's discipline before April 2003 was too light.

According to court documents, in early February 2003 Carriere was suspended without pay for three months, removed as director of the forest protection branch, demoted to a position that held no responsibility for staff and required to attend counselling.

Calvert said because it was a personnel matter and complaints had been made to the RCMP, he couldn't meet the woman.

"I referred her then to take this concern to the deputy minister of environment," he said.

That was the same deputy minister who had transferred Carriere to Regina. Calvert said a few days later the government reversed that decision and fired Carriere.