The Senate ethics committee released its report yesterday. According to the report, described as scathing, Meredith’s use of his office to have sex with a teenage girl was one of the most egregious breaches of the role of a senator. The committee decided there is no alternative other than expelling the Ontario senator. Although the committee could have recommended any one of a range of sanctions, the members considered only expulsion and suspension. In choosing expulsion, the report stated if Meredith was suspended, the Senate would again be discredited upon his return.
Meredith, a married pastor from Richmond Hill, Ontario, was appointed to the Senate in 2010 by the Harper Conservatives. He has been under suspension from the Senate since 2015 when details of his relationship with the teen first became known.
According to the facts before the ethics committee, Meredith met the teen, identified only as M, when he was 48 and she was 16. He gave her his Senate business card and cell number and the two began a relationship. They had Skype chats that involved M undressing and Meredith masturbating. According to Meredith, although there was touching, the two did not have sexual intercourse until M turned 18.
As a pastor, Meredith had spoken out for youth and against Internet luring. However he suggested the teen undress for him on Skype because “this is what adults do.”
Meredith describes what happened as a “moral failing” and has so far refused to resign his seat.
Under Senate rules, Meredith has five sitting days in which to respond to the ethics committee report. If he chooses not to respond to the report, the Senate can hold an expulsion vote as early as next Tuesday.
The age of consent in Canada is 16 so police never became involved in the matter.
While the Senate has used its power of suspension several times over the years, a senator has never been expelled from the Upper Chamber. Bill Trudell, Meredith’s lawyer, said his client will decide in the next few days whether exercise his right to speak to the Senate or reply to the report.
Trudell rejects the finding of the committee that there is no alternative to expulsion and has argued Meredith be suspended from the Senate for one or two years. However, the ethics committee found suspension in this case would only result in the Senate being discredited once again after Meredith finishes his suspension and returns.
Since no senator has ever been expelled before, it is not absolutely clear the Senate has the power to expel a sitting member. The ethics committee received legal opinions that Canada’s constitution gives the Senate the same powers as the House of Commons in the U.K. has. Since the British House of Commons has power to expel members, the Canadian Senate does to. But as it has never been done before, there may be constitutional challenges if Meredith is in fact expelled.
According to the Toronto Star, since Meredith’s suspension from the Senate, his salary and the investigation have cost taxpayers at least $600,000.
