Following a spate of high-profile political resignations, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu claims sheās āheard many storiesā regarding sexual misconduct in Ottawa.
āI talk to many political staffers, many of them who are young,ā Hajdu told CTV Question Periodās Evan Solomon in a wide-ranging interview that airs Sunday. āI heard many stories: stories of a whisper network where women tell each other about which people to avoid, and which people to avoid particularly, and in close spaces or when thereās alcohol involved.ā
Many of those staffers, Hajdu said, are new to their careers and in precarious positions.
āThis is something that occurs, especially in sectors like ours where there is high power differentials: people with a lot of power and conversely served by people with very little power,ā Hadju, who also served as Minister of Status of Women between 2015 and 2017, said. āSo it is an environment ripe for harassment.ā
Canada's political scene has been rocked by a series of sexual misconduct allegations this week, leading Ontario MPP Patrick Brown to step down as his provinceās PC leader, Jamie Baille to resign from Nova Scotiaās legislature and forfeit his position as that provinceās PC leader, and Calgary MP Kent Hehr to leave his position as minister for sport and persons with disabilities.
Hajdu, who told Question Period that it is currently difficult for political staffers to come forward with such allegations, is also the driving force behind Bill C-65: legislation that seeks to crack down on harassment in federal workplaces, including parliament.
The bill, which was first introduced in November, is scheduled to be debated in the House of Commons on Monday, when MPs return to Ottawa for the first time this year.
āThe biggest change for political staffers is that they would be treated like all other federally-regulated employees, in that they would have the protection of the to address the issue of harassment and sexual violence,ā Hajdu said of the proposed legislation.
If passed in its present form, Bill C-65 would give workers and their employers a clear course of action to deal with allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct. The legislation would also exert pressure on employers to combat unacceptable behavior and punish those who donāt take it seriously while enforcing strict privacy rules to protect victims of alleged harassment or violence.
āThis has been a bit of an HR, or I suppose a policy-free zone for -- well -- forever, actually,ā Hajdu said. āSo, political staffers have not had recourse to have their concerns taken in any way thatās standardized through the Code. This proposal, this legislation, says that they deserve those same protections.ā
With files from Ā鶹“«Ć½ā Rachel Aiello
Watch Question Period Sunday mornings on CTV, Ā鶹“«Ć½ Channel, CTVNEWS.ca, and Ā鶹“«Ć½ GO at 11 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. CT, 9 a.m. MT and 8 a.m. PT
