A year after a harassment and bullying scandal rocked the province’s Liberal government, a new workplace policy was tabled Monday in the Newfoundland and Labrador legislature.
A legislature committee drafted the blueprint after consultations found concerns over gender-based harassment and power imbalances between elected members.
It establishes a clearer process for legislative employees bringing harassment complaints against elected members.
The proposed policy would guarantee complainants’ anonymity, and require elected members to take respectful workplace training each year.
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Former Liberals Eddie Joyce and Dale Kirby were removed from cabinet and caucus last April after harassment allegations surfaced against them, but critics called probes into their actions haphazard.
Complainants were identified against their will and one investigative report into harassment allegations was leaked publicly before being presented to government.
Liberal legislator Pam Parsons, a member of the committee and a harassment complainant against Kirby, said working on the draft policy brought her personal experiences to the surface.
She said the proposed changes, especially the assurance of complainant confidentiality, would have made her experience easier.
“I made a confidential complaint, but that got outed, for lack of a better way of saying it,” Parsons said.
“I think the changes and the work that’s been done … will certainly bring right and well-needed improvements.”
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The draft policy recommends creating an independent support position for complainants, and assigns investigations to the office of the legislature’s citizens’ representative.
It also dictates the first point of contact in a formal complaint must have training in gender-based sensitivity and inclusivity.
The committee recommends removing harassment from the members’ code of conduct to better streamline investigations — the first amendment to the code since it came into effect in 2008.
The policy and legislation have yet to be approved, but committee members said they hope to have the changes in place for the legislature’s fall sitting.
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