MPs to develop code of conduct

Members of Parliament have launched a study to set a code of conduct for themselves on harassment and devise a policy on how to treat complaints. The Commons’ Procedure and House Affairs Committee will begin its work next week.

The move comes after three weeks of embarrassing publicity for federal politicians over allegations by two female NDP MPs that they were mistreated by two male Liberal MPs.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau suspended MPs Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti from caucus over the allegations of “serious personal misconduct,” pending an investigation.

The new study by a parliamentary committee will not examine those specific allegations, but will, rather, provide a proposed policy and dispute settlement mechanism for other complaints in the future.

The committee has four prime objectives:

Examine options for addressing complaints of harassment between MPs.

Make recommendations concerning a code of conduct for MPs “for the prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace, including a clear definition of harassment.”

Make recommendations for a “fair, impartial and confidential process, including options for the role of an independent third party, for resolving complaints made under the Code.”

Make recommendations about “training and education initiatives to ensure compliance with the Code.”

The committee has been told to deliver a report to the House of Commons quickly.

Once that report is submitted, presumably sometime in the next three months, MPs will vote on it and, if approved, a new code of conduct could be in place for federal politicians for the first time in Canadian history.

The precise wording of the mandate to the committee was agreed to by the leadership of the political parties, a clear sign they consider the issue important. It reflects many of the proposals NDP leader Tom Mulcair set out in a letter recently to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Trudeau.

NDP MP Craig Scott said the move to develop a harassment policy for MPs could be a “major step forward.”

“The fact that we don’t have this kind of speaks to an undue faith that all is rosy on Parliament Hill, and it’s about time that we deal with it.”

Conservative whip John Duncan said that “harassment in the workplace is unacceptable, and we take this issue seriously.”

Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, a member of the procedure and House affairs committee, said that a subcommittee of MPs will conduct the study.

Lamoureux said he thinks people will be pleased by how the mandate is so “thorough.”