Tory president heard from 'multiple sources' about Jamie Baillie allegations

The president of the Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives says she was made aware "by multiple sources" of the allegations of inappropriate behaviour by now-former Tory leader Jamie Baillie.

Baillie was forced to resign on Wednesday following an investigation into his behaviour after someone came forward to the party with the allegation in December. Party officials offered few other details on Wednesday, however on Friday issued a statement attempting to provide more information.

Tory president Tara Miller said in the statement the only incident for which the allegation was made took place in December 2017 and the party acted immediately.

But a spokesperson for the party said the information Miller received wasn't directly from the person at the centre of the allegation.

When approached by the party, that person decided not to follow the process outlined by the legislature's workplace harassment policy, which would have required them to go to the caucus whip, the legislature's clerk or some other designated person to lodge a complaint, according to PC spokesperson Jenni Edge.

The party's statement said Baillie, who would have signed a document saying he read the policy as an MLA and supported it when it was introduced in the House, also chose not to follow the process as outlined in the policy. However, it is complainant driven and as the respondent he would not have been able to stop the process if it were initiated.

The policy applies to anyone who works at the legislature, including MLAs, caucus staff and party volunteers.

The party "felt it did not have standing under the process to make the complaint" on the individual's behalf, according to the statement from Miller.

Instead, the party hired "an experienced and qualified, Halifax-based third-party" lawyer to do an investigation. The individual and Baillie both participated fully and had legal representation, according to the statement. None of that information was made public during a Wednesday news conference.

Using the definitions from the legislature's policy as the basis for the investigation, the investigator concluded Baillie breached the terms and findings of sexual harassment were delivered to the party Tuesday night.

A spokesperson for the Tories said the party paid for the lawyer to conduct the investigation.