FEWO Committee Report
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Ms. Hélène LeBlanc Dear Ms. LeBlanc: Pursuant to House of Commons Standing Order 109, on behalf of the Government of Canada, we are pleased to provide the Government Response to the second report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women on Sexual Harassment in the Federal Workplace. As the recommendations of the Committee have implications for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Labour Program and Status of Women Canada, the Government Response is presented jointly by the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women. We appreciate the important work undertaken by you and the Committee to shed light on the incidence and prevalence of sexual harassment in the federal workplace, the processes for responding to complaints of sexual harassment, and factors affecting sexual harassment in the workplace. We noted the range of views and perspectives presented to the Committee, which are indicative of the complexity of the matter and the variety of approaches available to respond. The Government of Canada recognizes that harassment has adverse effects on the mental health and engagement of employees and on the quality of their work. The Government of Canada is therefore committed to having a harassment-free workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. The Treasury Board Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=26041) and the Directive on the Harassment Complaint Process (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=26040) promote the establishment and maintenance of a respectful and harassment-free workplace and the prompt resolution of related complaints. Deputy heads are accountable for this in their departments. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat supports them as they exercise their accountabilities. The Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution stresses the responsibility of deputy heads to protect employees from all forms of harassment in addition to sexual harassment. It also represents part of the Government’s response as an employer to the Canada Labour Code, Part II, (http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/) and the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-86-304/index.html), “Part XX: Violence Prevention in the Work Place,” that require every employer to provide employees with a safe, healthy, and violence-free work environment, and to dedicate sufficient resources to address factors that contribute to workplace violence, including bullying, teasing and other aggressive or abusive behaviours. A number of recommendations of the Committee (3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14) will be addressed through a joint communications initiative from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Status of Women Canada, and the Labour Program to emphasize to deputy heads their responsibilities under the Treasury Board Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution and the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part XX, to a) prevent and address situations of sexual harassment, With respect to Recommendation 2 concerning the Public Service Employee Survey, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat has recently included sexual harassment as a type of harassment in a sub-question in the next Public Service Employee Survey to be held in summer/fall of 2014. In regard to Recommendation 4 on the retention period for disciplinary notes related to sexual harassment, we will explore options regarding these timelines. With respect to Recommendation 10, we recognize the value of improving awareness of the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace among Parliamentary staff, however this recommendation deals with matters that are within the responsibility of the Parliament of Canada and, as such, not within the purview of Ministers to address. Regarding the other recommendations that have an implication for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Government of Canada will determine in the course of the regular five-year assessment of the current policy whether additional actions are required to address issues related to allegations of sexual harassment. In regard to Recommendation 11, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada is fully committed to a harassment-free workplace and is increasing its efforts to ensure that all employees are aware of their responsibilities to each other and of the recourse options available to them when harassment is perceived or alleged. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the members of the Standing Committee for your important work. Yours sincerely,
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