Two Grit MPs accused of misconduct

Parliament Hill was rocked Wednesday by accusations two Liberal MPs engaged in "serious personal misconduct" in their dealings with two female New Democrat MPs.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau suspended Liberals Massimo Pacetti and Scott Andrews from the party over the allegations. He also suspended their candidacies for the next election, pending an investigation.

The revelation left the House of Commons struggling to figure out how to properly investigate the accusations.

Neither the nature of the misconduct, nor the identity of the two New Democrats who lodged the complaints, has been detailed by any of the parties. But both Pacetti and Andrews deny wrongdoing.

Andrews wrote he wants the House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer and Commons Board of Internal Economy to quickly establish a process for investigating the "allegation of harassment."

"Parliament needs to be a workplace free of harassment, for both staf f and MPs, " he wrote, adding he will fully co-operate with an independent investigator.

"I am confident such a process will find that no harassment has occurred."

Pacetti said he learned at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday he was suspended because of allegations of personal misconduct. "I have not been provided with the specific details of the allegations that led to this suspension," he said.

He also said he will co-operate fully with an investigation "which I am confident will exonerate me."

None of the parties would say whether sexual harassment is involved in the allegations.

In a letter, Liberal party whip Judy Foote asked Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer to investigate allegations of "personal misconduct" on the part of the two Liberal MPs against two other MPs from another party.

Foote did not identify any of the MPs in her letter, but the party quickly confirmed they are Pacetti, a Quebec MP, and Andrews, a Newfoundland MP who was the Liberal ethics critic.

"We're deeply saddened by these serious allegations," said NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair.

"Members of Parliament from all parties have to take these matters seriously. Here on Parliament Hill and in every workplace, women have a right to be in a secure work environment ... free of harassment."