Tougher workplace harassment rules would help protect political staffers: Hajdu
OTTAWA — It is too early to begin claiming the pendulum is in danger of swinging too far the other way when it comes to concerns over sexual misconduct on Parliament Hill, as young political staffers remain especially vulnerable to abuse, says Labour Minister Patty Hajdu.
“We’re not there yet,” Hajdu said in an interview.
“I would say that we would be there when I would talk to young staffers and they wouldn’t have any experience of harassment or sexual violence or when staffers would tell me that no, there is no one they are uncomfortable getting into an elevator alone with,” she said.
“These are the kinds of stories that I am hearing from young staffers — that there is a whisper network on the Hill,” she said. “They do know which MPs to avoid and which MPs, when they’ve had too much to drink, are kind of ‘gropy’ and which are not.”