Forty-four harassment complaints filed since 2019

Premier confirms executive council had two complaints, said no NDAS were signed

In response to questions posed in the P.E.I. legislature on March 20, Finance Minister Jill Burridge said 44 workplace harassment complaints have been filed within the province’s civil service since 2019.

The figures were released a day after Liberal Opposition Leader Hal Perry tabled a Freedom of Information request that showed two workplace harassment complaints were filed within executive council in 2021.

These two complaints were investigated.

The complaints were filed under the province’s policy for the prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace, which outlines the process for complaints and investigations.

Speaking in the legislature before question period on March 20, Premier Dennis King confirmed these two complaints had been made.

"In both cases, recommendations from the investigations were acted upon, and no NDAS were used," King said, referring to non-disclosure agreements.

King also said the province’s policies prohibited him from disclosing any identifying information about the complaints or about what led to them.

King also said he had learned of the two 2021 investigations when he was asked about them by Perry on March 19.

During question period, Perry said King should have been made aware of the complaints.

The premier is the president of executive council, a department that includes the deputy ministers of all government departments.

"Has the premier found out yet why he was left in the dark on these extremely troubling issues?" Perry said.

“There wouldn't be any need or opportunity for the premier to be briefed on this as the policy outlines how it is to be dealt with. And that's what happened in this case," King said.