HALIFAX—Education Minister Zach Churchill says he doesn’t remember being physically aggressive with two of his former colleagues at Province House, and the premier denies that he was told about the behaviour when it allegedly happened years ago.

Ramona Jennex and Denise Peterson-Rafuse — both former NDP MLAs — shared letters with the Star that describe incidents dating back to 2012 and 2014, respectively.

Jennex wrote to House Speaker Kevin Murphy, saying Churchill approached her outside the main chamber of Province House on April 13, 2012, swearing and verbally berating her.

“Mr. Churchill poked me in the shoulder, pushing me backwards while threatening me with his face very close to mine,” the letter reads.

She goes on to say that she reported the interaction to “the appropriate people” in the NDP caucus, who told then-opposition Liberal leader Stephen McNeil.

Jennex said she feels her letter speaks for itself and had no further comments.

Peterson-Rafuse told the Star she remembers an incident with Churchill from “roughly” 2014.

In a letter dated April 1, 2019, she described an interaction with Churchill inside the main chamber of the legislature. She wrote that the minister approached her “after a heated Question Period.”

“Suddenly from behind me I felt this very rough yank on my shoulder, which was totally unexpected, and it frighten (sic) me. After a few tense moments and words, he left, and I reported the incident to my caucus and leader. The premier was made aware of the incident and asked to ensure it didn’t happen again.”

Maureen MacDonald was the interim leader of the NDP from 2013 to 2015 and said she remembers Peterson-Rafuse reporting the allegation to her. She said she didn’t witness it.

“I called the premier and I told him what had happened, and I asked him to speak with his member and deal with his member,” she said in an interview.

“And I told him that if this were ever to happen again to any of our members, I wouldn’t give him the courtesy of calling him, I’d take it up someplace else.”

Premier Stephen McNeil said the first he heard of either allegation was on Monday when the letters were sent. Copies were sent to him and the leaders of both opposition parties.

“At no time had anyone raised with me the issue of a member of our caucus physically touching any member of the opposition,” he told reporters Wednesday.

He said he’s talked to Churchill about “the enthusiasm of the debate and it spilling out beyond the main chamber,” but he continues to have confidence in the minister.

He said he remembers talking to MacDonald during her time as interim NDP leader “about a number of issues.”

“But at no time was there any issue around a physical altercation.”

Churchill denied the accusations.

“At no time have I ever touched somebody in an aggressive way in this chamber,” he said Wednesday at Province House.

“If that did happen six years ago, as has been alleged, I think that that would have been a story of the day and I don’t think I would be here if the premier was made aware of that. He would have no tolerance for that.”

The allegations came to light less than a week after Tory opposition leader Tim Houston accused Churchill of physically assaulting him in a private phone booth at the legislature.

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“I find myself in a moment of weakness because of the interaction I had with Mr. Houston,” Churchill said.

Churchill has denied assaulting Houston, calling it a “heated verbal exchange” initiated by the Tory leader.

He said he didn’t want to “imply intent,” but “it’s not uncommon that past and current political opponents might jump on the opportunity, or those who might have an axe to grind with me might jump on the opportunity to express their disapproval with me.”

Petersen-Rafuse said she was not shocked by the denial. She said she only came forward because, after learning of the allegations from Houston, she recognized a pattern of inappropriate behaviour that she felt obliged to share.

“There’s absolutely no reason why I would come forth unless this happened,” she said.

Churchill admitted that he can be confrontational, and other former colleagues remember him that way.

Former NDP cabinet minister Sterling Belliveau told the Star that he didn’t witness or know about the allegations from Jennex and Peterson-Rafuse but he remembers Churchill’s aggressive nature from the time they overlapped in the house from 2010 to 2017.

“He wasn’t aggressive with me but he was a bit of a short fuse, I guess,” Belliveau said.

Both opposition leaders said they were disappointed by the government’s response to the new allegations.

After airing his own allegation at the legislature last week, Houston requested an investigation from the internal affairs committee, but the Liberals voted it down.

He said the premier’s reaction to Jennex’s and Peterson-Rafuse’s letters is another example of “sweeping things away.”

NDP Leader Gary Burrill said the government is making a “big mistake.”

“When this new information was brought forward yesterday, they ought to have reversed their decision from last week,” he said.

“I think they should reverse it now. I think that committee should be convened to weigh these allegations.”

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