Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians Launches Pledge Inspired by H.E.R. Halton to End Harassment, Toxicity for Women in Government
Yesterday (June 19), the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians (CAFP) launched a pledge to end the harassment and toxic work environment women face in Parliament. Oakville North-Burlington MP Pam Damoff noted it was modelled after a similar pledge the Halton Elected Representatives (H.E.R.) released on May 15, 2024. You can read a copy of the CAFP pledge further down this post.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to and signed H.E.R. Halton pledge back in May to end harassment of women in government. We have started a movement -- with the pledge being picked up nationally by the CAFP!We are now working on what are our next steps and intend to open up our original H.E.R. pledge and invite any elected officials who want to sign on to reach out to my office. We will keep a rolling update, including on my website. If any elected official hasn't done so and would like to, please let us know and we'll add new names as they come in.
I also encourage elected officials to reach out to their own networks of women to include anyone who wishes to participate.Thank you to all the women who have shared their stories and committed to action and change! Together, we can make elected office safer for everyone.
Dear Colleagues,
We write to you today asking for your support for a parliamentarian-led initiative to call for improvements to our workplace with respect to harassment and civility.
The institution in which we serve is unique, steeped in tradition and history. It has been a place of incredible strength, reason, conviction and justice. It has also been a place of incredible colonialism, racism, misogyny, and discrimination.
For most of us, Parliament has been a rewarding place to work, but for more and more of us in the last few years, it has also become a toxic environment. We have all seen, at all levels of government, the number of politicians who have decided not to stand and/or leave politics all together due to harassment.
Through all of that, Parliament is what we make it and there are many of us who are determined to make it better.
As the co-chairs for the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians, we are reaching out to all parliamentarians, in all parties or groups to sign the enclosed pledge, promising to call out harassment when we see it in our Chambers, in our committees and in our larger workplaces. This initiative replicates the work of a municipally led group of women in Halton Region (Ontario) because they too wanted to better their political workplaces.
Please see the pledge attached to this email. We invite you to sign on and return it to: Lindsay.mathyssen@parl.gc.ca
There is no obligation to sign on. There is no deadline by which to sign. This is not only for women to sign.
We are asking a representative parliamentarian to be the lead for their respective caucus or group. If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to either of us.
Parliamentarians are being asked to pledge to:
Support each other and call out abuse and harassment when we see it or experience it;
Call on all our allies to stand with us to support women in office and call out all forms of abuse and harassment;
Call on all elected officials to uphold the highest standards of conduct, focusing on respectful debate of the issues and not personal attacks;
Call on the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of individuals who speak out against abuse, or who experience abuse, providing them with the necessary support and resources.
It is time to get serious about creating a safe and supportive environment that encourages all individuals to participate in the political process without fear of abuse or discrimination. Ourdemocracy depends on it.
We ask that Parliament be consistent and show the leadership Canadians and all those living on Turtle Island expect from us.
Thank you,
Hon. Marilou McPhedran, Senator and Lindsay Mathyssen, MP
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