Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
You are truly courageous, colleagues.
Before I ask a few questions, I want to tell you how ashamed I am. This isn't the first time I've said it: I'm ashamed of us, myself included. I get the feeling we're engaged in a soul-searching exercise. Some of us aren't hearing or else aren't listening to the interpretation, but I do hope we're thinking. We could raise so many points.
The reason I'm so outraged, and “outraged” is the right word, is that, even though most people say that they can't tolerate the situation and that it's unacceptable, it's nevertheless the prevailing situation in our institution today. How can we possibly tolerate it? Allow me to explain. In our soul-searching, we're wondering why we're doing this. Is it for gain or power? Partisanship has a lot to do with it. What is respect?
Today we're discussing harassment, and we've heard words that illustrate what that is. I'm thinking, among other things, of our interpreters, who have had to interpret utterly unacceptable words in French. There's an urgent need for action, and I believe this institution as a whole agrees that's true. However, I still hear remarks that inflame the situation and contribute to the collateral damage, even though we have a right to express ourselves and to be respected.
Ladies, I want to hear what you think about this. Saying words that have an impact on social media is one thing, but the making of death threats is unacceptable.
What behaviour constitutes harassment? Is it considered harassment to refuse to listen to the person who's speaking, and to do so regularly, to roll your eyes when that person speaks, to smile in a contemptuous manner or to position oneself in such a way as to provoke or intimidate that person, who, in many instances, happens to be a woman? Am I the only person experiencing this kind of behaviour, or are you experiencing it too? Words aren't necessarily the only way to harass someone.
I'd like to hear your comments on the subject.