Mr. Speaker, I have here two articles from iPolitics that indicate that there are high levels of harassment in the public service. We are talking here about all types of harassment. Nearly one in three employees claims to be a victim.
These articles make particular reference to cases of sexual harassment reported by female RCMP officers—the allegations that led the Standing Committee on the Status of Women to undertake a study of sexual harassment in federal workplaces. As chair of this committee, I am particularly concerned about the statistics reported by iPolitics.
The mandate of Status of Women Canada is to coordinate policy with respect to the status of women and administer related programs. As part of its role, the agency advises other federal departments and agencies on certain issues in order to achieve change where needed. Given this clear mandate, this study on sexual harassment is of the utmost importance.