By Canadian Press

Appeal in court ruling to move harassment case against Trudeau Foundation to Quebec

Aug 3, 2023 | 12:18 PM

MONTREAL — A woman who filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation is appealing a Newfoundland and Labrador court decision that would have the case moved to Quebec.

Cherry Smiley alleges she was sexually harassed by former Northwest Territories premier Stephen Kakfwi during an event organized by the Trudeau Foundation, which had paired her with Kakfwi through a mentorship program. 

Smiley’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, says a Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court judge erred when he ruled that he didn’t have jurisdiction and that the case should be heard in Quebec.

Marshall says the alleged assault in 2018 took place in St. John’s and that her client would face linguistic and other barriers by filing the lawsuit in Quebec.

She says the Quebec-based Trudeau Foundation is attempting to delay the suit in an effort to get her client to abandon the case.

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Neither representatives for Kakfwi nor for the foundation were immediately available for comment.

Kakfwi, who is also named in the suit, has denied the allegations. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2023. 

The Canadian Press