'Enough is enough': Speaker works on changes to harassment policy

Speaker Myrna Driedger has seen her share of inappropriate, unwanted and brutish behaviour since she was first elected as a member of the Manitoba Legislative Assemblyin 1998.

Now the veteran politician is in charge of revamping policies that protect politicians and their staff from harassment, bullying and sexual impropriety.

Driedger hopes a second draft of a revamped harassment policy for the legislature will be completebefore the end of the year and in place in 2019.

"A window is open. A door is open," said Driedger, who believes we are living in a new world. "I've never seen this in my lifetime, where there has been this movement, this big movement. Because it's coming from so many different places."

Accusations against former Ontario PC leader Patrick Brown in early 2018 caught Driedger's attention, as did the blooming Me Too movement.

"It's taken so long for something like this to happen and to be able to expose some of these wrongdoings that have been going on for a very long time, but nobody felt safe before. But then one person comes out and somebody else says, well, 'Me too,' " Driedger said.

Driedger, as Speaker,presides over the legislature, which is a separate entity fromthe civil service and the executive of government.

The Legislative Assembly Management Commissionoversees the business of the legislatureand the conduct of MLAs,both in their offices and in the chamber when the House is sitting.

The behaviour of staff and political types at the legislature are governed by aRespectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention policy, but Driedger was prompted last year to launch a review.

Revelations about the behaviour of former NDP minister Stan Struthers, dubbed "Minister Tickles" for his habit of inappropriately touching women, and a complaint against Maples MLA Mohinder Saran in 2016 were two cases in which the conduct of politicians in the workplace was scrutinized very publicly.

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The NDP did its own review in the aftermath of disclosures about Struther's behaviour. Its commissioners found a culture during 17 years of NDP government that was "over-sexualized, sexist and misogynist," as well as an "atmosphere of fear and loyalty."

Driedger recognized the need for upgrades to guidelines for proper behaviour, how inappropriate actions can be reported, who would do the investigations and what kind of penalties could be issued for violating the policy.

The rules also need to consider how each party's caucus would be involved in the process.

"Who owns the information, where can it go and who has a right to it?" Driedger said.

The recent case involving Progressive Conservative Emerson MLA Cliff Graydon's comment to a female legislative staff person did not involve Driedger's office or human resource people at the legislature.

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In Graydon's case the issues were dealt with through the PC caucus and no complaint was made to Driedger, the Legislative Assembly Management Commission or a manager at the legislature, and the person who was on the receiving end of Graydon's comment accepted his apology.

Graydon has announced he will not run for re-election, will take sensitivity training and is now on medical leave for personal health reasons.

The case involving his comment to the staff person appears to be closed, although the Progressive Conservative caucus will still review his conduct next week and there may be further consequences for the Emerson MLA.

In the aftermath of the revelations about Stan Struthers, the PC government commissioned two reports on harassment policy, one by law firm MLT Aikins, the other by the Manitoba Status of Women Secretariat.

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The law firm's review says the government's general Harassment Prevention Policy doesn't applyto politicians and their staff, and recommends bridging the gap between standards for civil servants and those who work at the legislature.

The MLT Aikins report also recommends a "point person" from the government branch be designated to liaise with the Legislative Assembly Management Commissionandidentify which situations require an external investigator, and a policy should be developed on how to determine punishment for perpetrators of workplace harassment.

All of these issues are being poured into the second draft of the policy that will oversee staff and politicians at the legislature, Driedger said. She already employs an outside investigator to look into allegations, but she wouldn'tdisclose whether there were outstanding complaints of improper behaviour.

The Speaker hopes the final version of the legislature's harassment policy will include a requirement for an annual report that documents the number of complaints, their nature and whether they've been resolved.

Consensus needed

Confidentiality is a major part of such sensitive matters and calculating those needs are complicated while developing new guidelines, she said.

None of her work will become policyuntil there is consensus on the new rules and the caucuses of all three parties sign off.

PC caucus leader Wayne Ewaskosaid in a written response thathis members"welcome any and all further initiatives to make the Manitoba Legislature a safe and respectful workplace," and the party hasalready taken action to mandate respectful workplace training for all MLAs and staff.

NDP Leader Wab Kinewsaid in his written response thathis party is on board with Driedger's efforts. He wantsan independent office to be created to handle complaints.

The New Democrats have named independent officers to manage workplace issues within the party.

The Liberals have also reviewed the first draft and similar to the NDP, want to see an independent office of Manitoba Integrity Commissioner established. They also want a code of conduct that includes behaviour of politicians at their constituency offices.

Regardless of the positive response from each caucus, Driedgerknows it will take time to build consensus and hammer together a final policy.

'You can't hide from this'

But the Speaker feels strongly that momentum is on the side of reform.

She taps her mobile phone as she speaks, noting that the digital world now clocks everything from workplace harassment in Hollywood to the gang rape of a woman in India.

It's prompted a freshburst of strength for women's equality and another tool for creating accountability, she believes.

"You can't hide from this anymore. People are taking pictures or hearing you and speaking out and we are seeing this groundswell of news," she said.

"Enough is enough."