ONDP Anti-Harassment Policy

The Ontario NDP is committed to a harassment free environment at all Party

activities.
Our principles prohibit us from infringing on the human rights of others, and
oblige us to stand with them to protect rights when others attack them.

ONDP Anti-Harassment Policy Resolution and Complaint Procedure

A person who believes that he or she is a victim of harassment is encouraged to take immediate remedial action.

Mutual respect must be the basis of interaction among social democrats in

addition to co-operation and understanding. We will neither tolerate nor
condone behaviour that is likely to undermine the dignity or self-esteem of
an individual, or group, or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

It should be made clear to the person committing the act that the attention or
offensive behaviour is unwelcome. It may be that the individual is unaware
that the behaviour is offensive. This can be done either on your own, verbally or in writing, or with the assistance of a third party. In the case of a third
party making a complaint, there must be agreement from the person being
harassed, that such a complaint be put forward.

Harassment is not a joke. It creates feelings of uneasiness, humiliation and

discomfort.

If the above action does not resolve the complaint, approach one of the designated representatives and ask him or her to act on your behalf.

It is an expression of perceived power and superiority by the harasser(s)

over another person. It is usually behaviour over which the victim has little or
no control. Harassment can be based on many grounds, including, but not
limited to, sex, race, age, creed, colour, marital status, sexual orientation,
disability, religious affiliation, gender identity or place of national origin.

The designated representative will separately interview the complainant and

the alleged harasser (and witnesses if there are any). If the problem cannot
be resolved informally, the complainant will be asked to put the complaint in
writing.

Harassment occurs when a comment or action has been made that is known
or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome. It makes someone else
feel uncomfortable or at risk, and can occur on a single or repeated basis.
The Party considers harassment of any kind a serious offence. Complaints
of harassment at activities of the Party will be investigated by representatives designated for each activity. A substantiated complaint will result in the
removal of the harasser from the event. A letter outlining the reasons for the
removal will also be sent to the appropriate delegating body. In every case of
complaint, whether substantiated or not, confidentiality of all parties involved
must be respected.

The written complaint will then be submitted to the Provincial Secretary and
designated representatives. The complaint will be evaluated and investigated. If it is determined that the respondents conduct has fallen with the definition of harassment, appropriate action will be taken which might include,
but is not limited to, an apology, reprimand or expulsion.
Any appeals to the final decision would be conducted in accordance with
commonly accepted Party practice, with the proviso that the confidentiality of
all parties would be respected.

Please turn over

Approved by Provincial Council - September 20, 1997

Amended by Provincial Convention April 2012
Cope 343

2/

Report of the Anti-Harassment Committee

3/

September 20, 1997

4/
The Anti-Harassment Committee was struck in the summer of 1996, with a
mandate to draft a policy to deal with cases of harassment within the Party.
Each committee of the Party (LGBC, Women, Ethnic Liaison, and Youth)
was asked to nominate two representatives to this committee, and Provincial Office staff were to delegate one person.
The first meeting of the Committee took place on October 19, 1996. Several
existing anti-harassment policies were examined and discussed. Agreement
was reached by all the members present that we wanted to keep the policy
to a length of one page double-sided, in order that it be a document that
could be easily distributed and read at Party functions.
A first draft of the policy was put together at that meeting, and distributed to
the representatives to take back to their committees for input. We were hoping to meet again in mid-November to review the feed-back and prepare a
final draft for December Council. However, we eventually realized that the
turn-around time was too short, and most of the committees did not have
sufficient time to discuss the policy at their meetings. So on November 15,
we sent the draft to the chairs of all the committees and asked that they discuss it and submit their feed-back by January 31. If their committees would
not be meeting by then, they should let us know so that we could extend the
deadline.

these 12 representatives, along with staff members from Party Office

would receive training in handling harassment complaints
2 out of the pool of reps would be designated (on a rotating basis) for
each function, meeting, or social event organized centrally by the Party;
they would be introduced and the policy would be read, distributed or referred to, at the beginning of each such event (where this is not possible
or appropriate the policy and reps would be referred to in print form,
such as in a program or agenda)
in order that all Party members be made aware of this Policy, it would
be sent to all riding associations, Party committees, and affiliated organizations.

We moved adoption of these recommendations in conjunction with the AntiHarassment Policy.

The policy was referred back to the committee by Council for some revisions. The committee met on September 8 to revise the policy. There were
two main points raised at Council. The first was whether political affiliation
should be changed to political belief, or deleted altogether. Provincial Executive was also of the opinion that references to political affiliation did not
belong in the policy, and it has been deleted.
The second issue was the inclusion of the two paragraphs on discrimination.
The committee agreed that discrimination should not be included and deleted the references to discrimination.
We move adoption of the revised policy and the accompanying recommendations.

On February 19 the committee met to incorporate the feed-back that we had

received. The final draft was submitted for adoption at March Council along
with a set of recommendations agreed to by the committee. These recommendations are designed to help make the implementation of this policy a
success, and they are as follows:
1/ the Provincial Secretary, in consultation with Provincial Executive and
the four committees (Women, Youth, Ethnic Liaison, LGBC) would establish a pool of anti-harassment reps. consisting of 12 members, with 8
representing the four constituencies named above, and 4
representing the Party at large

Approved by Provincial Council - September 20, 1997

Amended by Provincial Convention April 2012
Cope 343