Nova Scotia’s NDP is introducing legislation today aimed at restricting non-disclosure agreements for harassment cases.
NDP justice spokesperson Claudia Chender says the bill would protect victims of sexual assault or harassment who are vulnerable to being pressured into silence through the use of such agreements, known as NDAs.
Chender says too often sexual assault victims are urged to sign non-disclosure agreements — which prohibit them from speaking publicly about certain facts — which result in the concealment of potential crimes and abuse.
This bill would restrict people from entering NDA agreements in situations involving allegations or proven cases of harassment or discrimination.
The legislation is modelled after a similar bill passed in Prince Edward Island.
The governing Progressive Conservatives say they’re studying the issue.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2022.