Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I feel that this is an important amendment and I'm anxious to find out the government's position on it. We already discussed it. Essentially, we realize that small businesses don't always have the resources to investigate cases of harassment. As was the case regarding the amendment we just discussed, it often happens that the aggrieved party and the employer work in close proximity. The purpose of this amendment is to allow the Minister of Labour to play an intermediary role and to act as a recourse for the employees of small businesses.
The amendment would add this:
(1.1) In the case of a complaint relating to an occurrence of harassment or violence in a workplace at which less than 20 employees are normally employed, the employee who believes on reasonable grounds that there has been a contravention of this Part may refer his or her complaint to the Minister in accordance with subsection (8).
What we want to do, basically—and this seems like an important point to us—is to see to it that the department is not just a sort of mailbox, and that the reply is not simply to go and see your employer and follow the process.
In certain cases, it's important that there be an independent third party. That is in fact what is done under other laws. We have to remember that both in a small business and any other business, there is always a contractual link between the independent investigator and the employer, since ultimately the independent investigator is paid by the employer. This creates a type of dependency that can change the perception of impartiality which is necessary in cases of harassment.
That is why there are specialists at the department who can evaluate the complaint filed by the employee and see whether there are reasonable grounds; they can then follow up on the complaint and receive the employee. I would say that this is an approach that aims to protect the potential victims of harassment.