Ottawa – The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has received the final report of independent evaluator Louise Otis, who was contracted to determine appropriate financial compensation for employees of former senator Don Meredith.

Committee members will be reviewing Ms. Otis’s report and will discuss the matter at the committee’s next meeting, which is scheduled to take place on September 10, 2020.

More information on the resolution of this process will be disclosed once the committee has had the opportunity to consider the report.

Quick Facts

• The Honourable Louise Otis is a former justice of the Quebec Court of Appeal. She serves as an assessor in the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) by women who were harassed and discriminated against while working or volunteering for the Mounties between 1974 and 2019.
• The independent evaluation process is modelled on processes adopted in the settlement of three significant and recent class-action lawsuits relating to instances of harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination in the public sector.
• In a 2019 report, the Office of the Senate Ethics Officer concluded that Mr. Meredith had engaged in behaviour that “constitutes both harassment and sexual harassment” after having considered incidents that took place prior to Mr. Meredith’s resignation from the Senate.

Associated Link

• Read the June 25, 2020 news release, Senate committee to issue statement of regret regarding the experiences of employees of former senator Meredith.
• Read the July 7, 2020 news release, Former Quebec appeals court judge to determine compensation for employees of former senator Meredith.
• Read the August 6, 2020 news release, Additional information regarding the evaluation process for staff of former senator Meredith.

For more information:

Alexandra Scott-Larouche
Public Relations Officer | Senate of Canada
613-614-1180 | alexandra.scott-larouche@sen.parl.gc.ca