Political parties fertile ground to explore strategies, equip the troops on sexual harassment
By Nancy PeckfordApr. 30, 2018
Given that the governing party has a caucus that remains 73 per cent male, exploring these fundamental tenents of harassment and sexual harassment in a political climate begging for more clarity is not just the smart thing to do, but the responsible thing to do.
Julie Lalonde, a well-known and highly credible Ottawa-based feminist advocate with much expertise in harassment, offered Liberals a workshop last weekend at their policy convention. But her efforts were derided by a small number of vocal opponents because Liberal MP Kent Hehr attended the workshop. She was left to defend the accusation that she was not providing a safe space for survivors, something that had never been intended as part of the workshop. Screenshot
Just as Canadians were lauding the restraint demonstrated by the so-called quintessential Canadian police officer towards the Toronto driver of the van (which killed 10 and injured 14 people on a busy Toronto sidewalk last week), news emerged of the driver’s probable misogynistic motivations. Even if not his singular intention, the possibility that the driver acted out of hatred for women is still very disconcerting.
On Twitter, people began to share insights into the phenomenon called ‘incel,’ a little-known term for ‘involuntarily celibate,’ or highly disaffected young men who claim sexual frustration and rejection as their primary mantle. Some individuals with significant expertise used social media to shed light on this underground cyber movement of mostly white/dominant culture men who seek revenge on women (and society writ large) as a way of gaining or reasserting masculine influence and control.
Toronto police Const. Ken Lam, right, confronts the suspect Alek Minassian, left, after the van attack on April 23, in an image made from video recorded by a passerby. Screenshot image
The fact that rigorous research has already been conducted about this global movement, including here in Canada, is oddly reassuring. But it is also points to the level of organization among a tenacious and disparate network of men, vulnerable to radicalization, who are unable to adapt changing gender norms. Consequently, they contribute their lack of status as (young) men to the apparent diminishment of traditional and institutionalized patriarchal power.
In an article published by Vox in 2016, “How the alt-right’s sexism lures men into white supremacy,” the argument is made that “sexism serves as the alt-right’s gateway drug” into related forms of extremism. It’s a revealing and sobering read, and makes a compelling case for why discrimination and hatred can’t be entirely compartmentalized into discreet boxes of race, gender, or sexual orientation.
The inter-sectionalities, if you will, are ample. And to regard sexism independent of these other phenomena would be a grave error at this juncture in our history. Hence the urgent need for women and men to be part of a larger conversation about misogyny in society more generally.
Workplace harassment at Liberal convention a resounding success
At last weekend’s national Liberal convention, the Liberal Party offered a workshop on harassment largely designed to equip bystanders, i.e those who may be witness to sexual and other forms of harassment, to intervene. The workshop was delivered by Julie Lalonde who is a well-known and highly credible Ottawa-based feminist advocate with much expertise in the area. Media were banned from the workshop to afford participants some latitude to ask honest questions, and not just be lauded for showing up in the room. But Lalonde’s efforts were derided by a small number of vocal opponents over social media, particularly a prominent male writer, because a controversial Liberal MP accused of harassment had said he would likely show up. Lalonde was left to defend the accusation that she was not providing a safe space for survivors, something that had never been intended as part of the workshop.
Liberal MP Kent Hehr, pictured on April 21, at the Liberals’ national policy convention where he attended a workshop on sexual harassment. Mr. Hehr resigned from cabinet in January over sexual harassment allegations. Given that the governing party has a caucus that remains 73 per cent male, exploring these fundamental tenants in a political climate begging for more clarity is not just the smart thing to do, but the responsible thing to do, writes Nancy Pickford. The Hill Times photograph by Jolson Lim
Some questioned the party’s “sincerity” in creating a forum for this conversation. Others wondered if the attendance of an alleged perpetrator undermined its goals. A few expressed the view that the workshop was a crass attempt at brand reinforcement, not learning. Few noted that Lalonde had already given a version of this workshop to the federal NDP caucus in 2014.
People. Policy. Politics. This is an exclusive subscriber-only story.
In an apology offered in the Chamber on Feb. 19, House Speaker Geoff Regan said, ‘All who come here must know unequivocally that they will be welcomed with equality, dignity and respect.’
NDP candidate Julia Sánchez says she has a good campaign team in Montreal, and isn’t losing out on party resources focused on leader Jagmeet Singh's byelection race in B.C.
NDP MPs had been ordered to repay roughly $4-million by the Board of Internal Economy, which they've already started repaying though they've been fighting it in court for five years.
Gerald Butts has removed himself from the daily political grind of strategizing how to keep the Liberals in power. But observers say it's unlikely he will be consigned to watch the campaign unfold from the sidelines.
‘For a reporter, this is terrible,' says CBC's Julie Van Dusen. Two suggestions for new scrum spots were rejected, but talks to find a solution continue.
Jody Wilson-Raybould’s hiring of Thomas Cromwell as counsel is ‘good for the client, good for the PMO, good for Canada,’ says a Supreme Court specialist.
Results from the 2018 Public Service Employee Survey also indicate harassment stats in the public service are relatively flat despite a PCO push for change.
SNC-Lavalin risks a takeover if it's convicted. But aside from likely outrage in Quebec, Ottawa can find other builders for its infrastructure plans if the company is banned from bidding on federal contracts, experts say
The Quebec company had extensive access to government ministers and top staffers, and was the only organization registered to lobby for allowing deferred prosecution agreements for white collar crimes.