Winnipeg city councillor says he has 'clear conscience' about working for Peter Nygard

A Winnipeg city councillor who can be seen in videos featured in a CBC documentary about Peter Nygard says his conscience is clear about his work for the former fashion mogul, who is now accused of sexual assault.

On two separate occasions during a documentary on Nygardproduced byThe Fifth Estate, a younger-looking but clearlyrecognizable Kevin Klein appears on the screen.

Klein, who is now the city councillior forCharleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood, worked briefly for Nygardduring two different periods(four months in2012 and two weeksin December 2013). His work was incommunications and in a government-relations rolefor a biotech company partially owned by Nygard.

The former fashion executivewas arrested in Winnipeg on Dec. 14, 2020, andremains in custodyfacing extradition to the U.S. for allegations he sexually assaulted dozens of women and girls over a 25-year period. None of the charges against him have been proven in court.

Klein told CBC News hetravelled to Nygard's estate in the Bahamas on two occasions for work,both times with his wife.

In one segment of The FifthEstate documentary, Klein is seen at a beach location with Nygard and several others.

"My role at that time [was] as a senior executive [for] government relations," Klein said, and that segment shows an event attended byministers and elected officials from the Bahamas.

"That was why I was there," he said.

A second scene in the documentary shows Klein at a poker table where Nygard is dealing cards. Klein said he couldn't be sure where the video was shot, but it could have been in Winnipeg.

"It would be very hard for me to definitively tell you where exactly that one was."

Klein says he and his wife never saw any behaviour by Nygard that would be regarded as inappropriate or illegal.

"We saw nothing that would raise eyebrows whatsoever but again, then, we didn't spend a lot of time connected to Peter himself," Klein said.

As revelations of Nygard's legal difficulties unfolded last year, Klein's role with the former fashion executive spilled into city hall.

Last March, Mayor Brian Bowman askedKlein who was chair of the city's police board at the time whetherthere were any legal matters that would distracthim from his duties.

• Mayor playing 'incredibly juvenile game' over past Nygard employment to distract from budget: councillor

Klein, who was the publisher of the Winnipeg Sun for several years, acknowledges that back in 2012 and 2014, he'd heard suggestions that Nygard had acontroversial lifestyle,potentially even involving illegal behaviour.

"I was aware," of those suggestions, he said."I also would say that, you know, I have worked for a number of recognizable and successful people in North America, all of which have come under fire for various reasons."

Klein says the information that has come to light in recent years has shocked and angered him, though he says the brief time he worked for Nygard was a valuable business learning experience.

"I guess the regret comes from, you know, hearing and seeing what's happening today. I mean, I can't predict the future. And I certainly can't be responsible for some of these personal actions or their past," Klein said.

The city councillor says he left his work with Nygard because he didn't agree with the way thecompanies conducted business and shortly after returned to the Winnipeg Sun, but left with "a clear conscience."

A decision on a bail application for Nygard is expected on Friday.

Winnipeg city councillor says he has 'clear conscience' about working for Peter Nygard

4 years ago

Duration 2:35

A Winnipeg city councillor who can be seen in videos featured in a CBC documentary about Peter Nygard says his conscience is clear about his work for the former fashion mogul, who is now accused of sexual assault.