Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement on Hehr's resignation, saying "harassment of any kind is unacceptable."
"Canadians have a right to live and work in environments free from harassment. As a government we take any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously," Trudeau added. "Today, I accepted the Honourable Kent Hehr's resignation from cabinet pending the outcome of the investigation."
Talk of Hehr's resignation bubbled up early Thursday after Trudeau stated that he would speak to the minister about "sexually suggestive" comments he'd reportedly made toward women when he was serving in the Alberta legislature, CTV News reported.
Reports of Hehr's misconduct surfaced late Wednesday on Twitter after Kristin Raworth, an Alberta public servant, began tweeting about the minister's behavior.
— Kristin Raworth (@JC4ever) January 25, 2018
— Kristin Raworth (@JC4ever) January 25, 2018
— Kristin Raworth (@JC4ever) January 25, 2018
— Kristin Raworth (@JC4ever) January 25, 2018
Hehr, who previously served as minister of veterans affairs, was first elected to the Alberta legislature in 2008. He later transitioned into federal politics in 2015 when he was elected as the MP for Calgary Center. Science Minister Kirsty Duncan is expected to take on Hehr's responsibilities, according to The Star.
