58-year-old Toronto man charged with sexual assault and criminal harassment

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Ottawa police announced on Saturday that they have charged a Toronto man with three counts of sexual assault and criminal harassment.

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The Ministry of Sexual Assault and Child Abuse said Don Meredith, 58, of Toronto, was charged with alleged incidents in 2013 and 2014 « reported to police by an adult woman ».

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He has been charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of criminal harassment, Ottawa police said Saturday.

Police did not provide any further details of the charges.

A source confirmed to The Canadian Press that Meredith is a former senator who stepped down in 2017.

Meredith – an ordained cabinet minister – was appointed to the Senate by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2010 but resigned after a scathing report from the upper house’s ethics officer.

The report concluded that Meredith violated the chamber’s code of conduct by engaging in a relationship with a girl when she was just 16 and recommending her expulsion.

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Meredith acknowledged the affair, but insisted the relationship wasn’t sexual until the woman was 18.

A second Senate investigation, released in 2019, alleged Meredith repeatedly bullied, threatened and intimidated her staff, as well as touching, kissing and proposing to some of them.

In 2020, the Senate paid $498,000 in compensation to nine of Meredith’s former employees who said they were harassed at work.

Police said in a statement on Saturday that they fear there may be more alleged victims.

Meredith was charged and released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5944.

Anonymous reports can be made to Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-8477 or at crimestoppers.ca.

-With files from The Canadian Press