QUESTION PERIOD — Privy Council Office
Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians
June 20, 2024
Senator Gold, yesterday, the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians launched a parliamentary pledge to support each other and call out abuse and harassment when we see it or experience it. A number of signatures have already been obtained, including those of colleagues here in this chamber.
My question to you is whether the federal government will take this on as a government-wide and Parliament-wide initiative in order to increase the individual responsibility and commitment to support each other as parliamentarians and to uphold the highest standards of conduct inside and outside Parliament.
Thank you for your question, and thank you for bringing this initiative forward. As others have mentioned in this chamber, and as we witness here and elsewhere, there is an important need for us, despite our differences politically, philosophically and ideologically, to treat each other with respect. I sometimes fall short, as we all do.
The fact remains that we all have a responsibility, one to each other, collectively and to Canadians to model and demonstrate the highest standards of civil behaviour. As was said well yesterday in the debates, our disagreements can be done in a respectful way even if in a passionate way. I will certainly take your suggestion forward, but I would like to speak with you further about this to see how we could perhaps work together.
The fourth point in the pledge is to call on the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of individuals who speak out against abuse and who experience abuse, providing them with the necessary support and resources. Would you please respond when you can as to whether the government is prepared to make this a government-wide and whole-of-Parliament initiative? Thank you.
Again, I look forward to understanding, perhaps better than I do now, the specifics of what you are proposing. There is the government, and there is Parliament. They are not the same institutions. I look forward to discussing this with you further.
