House of Commons doesn’t have sexual harassment policy
Posted Nov 6, 2014 07:48:44 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Halifax MP Megan Leslie said the House of Commons is their workplace, but it isn’t really treated like one when it comes to harassment policies.
She told News 95.7 employees there are specifically excluded from the Canada Labour Code, and don’t have rights that other employees have.
“We’re in this weird grey zone,” said Leslie. “We don’t have these policies in place.”
Yesterday, two Liberal MPs were kicked out of the party’s caucus amid accusations they harassed two female New Democrat MPs.
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau suspended Newfoundlander Scott Andrews and Montrealer Massimo Pacetti and has blocked both from running for the party in next year’s election, pending the outcome of an investigation.
Andrews issued a statement saying he believes Parliament needs to be a workplace free of harassment, for both staff and MPs.
Pacetti also denies the allegations and promises to co-operate fully with an investigation.
The Liberals have asked Parliament’s multi-party board of internal economy to establish a process to investigate the allegations and similar complaints in future.
