If I have time I might come back to what the other process was, because I think there is another matter in terms of what harassment is. In the order of reference it doesn't talk about it. It simply says, “...a code of conduct for Members for the prevention and resolution of harassment in the workplace”.
I spent some quality time again with O'Brien and Bosc this weekend, going through privileges and immunity. Of course, there is no definition of “harassment” there but it has language such as “freedom from obstruction, interference, intimidation and molestation.” There are many other ways that language comes through.
I understand that members are different from staff and administration. When I turned to the Treasury Board definition of “harassment”, it has two definitions, one for “harassment” and one for “sexual harassment”. Under “harassment”, it says it is behaviour that:
...demean[s], belittle[s], or cause[s] personal humiliation or embarrassment, and any act of intimidation or threat.
When I turned to the House of Commons document it says:
It comprises any objectionable conduct, comment or display made either on a onetime or a continuous basis that demeans, belittles or causes personal humiliation or embarrassment to an employee.
That's for employees and that's for administration and other staff of the House of Commons.
I struggle a bit with why we would try to have a different definition of “harassment” for members of Parliament from what we would have for staff or employees. Surely we should be able to uphold a standard that all Canadians could respect, instead of saying that you can't harass an employee but you can harass a member of Parliament in the same way.
I also understand that Parliament can make its own rules. We are in charge of making our own rules so there is nothing to prevent us—or is there?—from adopting a definition of “harassment” that's similar to the Treasury Board's or to the House of Commons' definitions of “harassment”. Is there anything that actually prevents us from making those rules?