
QUESTION PERIOD — Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration
Business of Committee
May 2, 2019
Honourable senators, my question is to the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. It is a question asking for an answer to a question I posed on March 21 to which I received a delayed answer on May 1.
My question is about whether the committee has or will undertake any kind of review in the context of the new harassment policy. I would be reading the same question, but I’m asking it again because the answer I got back from the chair in the committee to that question was:
The intent of a new impairment policy is to look at complaints through a different lens, including fairness, transparency and timelines.
That is excellent and to be encouraged, I’m sure, by all of us, but it doesn’t answer my question.
My question is whether CIBA has or will undertake any kind of review of the new harassment policy. In particular, will it look at the impact of the way in which CIBA currently responds, both to questions about but also to complaints about and to cases of harassment, and the impact on the complainants, using a different lens than a focus primarily on the Senate, Senate officials and senators?
To be clear, I’m asking whether there’s any kind of a review that is being planned. If I could have an answer to that question, I would be most grateful.
Thank you, senator, for the question. As I mentioned to you earlier, I’ve referred your question to the chair of the subcommittee, Senators Saint-Germain and Tannas, with a specific request for that item be looked into. They assured me that as part of the review of the new policy that is being done right now, that it will be taken into account.