BOARD OF INTERNAL ECONOMY BUREAU DE REGIE INTERNE HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES CANADA November 21, 2014 Mr. Joe Preston, M.P. Chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs Room 1080, The Valour Building House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Dear Colleague: At its meeting of November 18, 2014, the Board discussed at length the matter of harassment allegations involving Members of the House of Commons, House Of?cers, National Caucus Research Of?ces and their staff. As you are aware, each individual Member of the House of Commons is the employer of - his or her employees and is responsible for the management of both the Ottawa and the constituency of?ces. As employers, Members are responsible for the use of the resources provided to them by the House of Commons for the carrying out of their parliamentary functions according to the rules put in place by the Board of Internal Economy. With regard tothe employees of Members, eXarnples of these include the Standard Letter of O?er of Employment (mandatory), the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Regular Employees ofMembers, House O?icers and I Research O?ices, and the Palicy on Con?dentiality and Cdn?icts of Interest; Members, as employers, also have the responsibility to ensure a harassment-free workplace for their employees. As such, it is within the Board of Internal Economy?s jurisdiction to assist Members and House Of?cers by putting in place processes that will allow them to address matters of harassment within their of?ces, as well as to provide such resources to their respective employees. The Board has already taken action in this regard and will continue in its work to develop a formal complaint process. - ROOM 229-N, CENTRE BLOCK PIECE 229-N, EDIFICE DU CENTRE OTTAWA. ONTARIO OTTAWA (ONTARIO) K1AOA6 I TEL.: (613) 990-8268 TEL: (613} 990?8268 FAX.: (613) 995-6668 (613) 995-6668 2 However, with respect .to allegations of personal misconduct between Members, the Board recognizes that ultimately the House itself has responsibility for pronouncing on the conduct of its Members. Accordingly, the Board has asked me to write to you requesting that the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs seek an order of reference from the House to review these matters within the context of Parliamentary privilege and the impact on Members? conduct and disciplinary processes. Thank you for your consideration of this matter. - Sincerely, Andrew Scheer, M.P. - BOARD OF INTERNAL ECONOMY BUREAU DE REGIE INTERNE HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES CANADA . Le 21 novembre 2014 Monsieur Joe Preston, deput? President du Comit? permanent de la procedure et des affaires de la Chambre Piece 1080, edi?ce de la Bravoure Chambre des communes Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0A6 Cher colleg-ue, A sa reunion du 18 novembre dernier, 1e Bureau de regie inteme a longuement discute des allegations de harcelement touchant des d?put?s, des agents 'sup?rieurs de la Chambre, des bureaux de recherche des caucus nationaux et leurs employ?s. Comme vous le savez, chaque d?put? est l?employeur de ses employ?s et est responsable de la gestion de ses bureaux a Ottawa et dans sa circonscription. A titre d?employeurs, les deputes sont responsables de l?utilisation des ressources que la Chambre des communes met a leur disposition pour l?exe?cution de leurs fonctions parlementaires, conform?ment aux reglements mis en place par le Bureau de r?gie interne. En ce qui concerne les employ?s des deputes, mentionnons notamrnent la Lettre ?o?e ?emploz' type (obligatoire), les Conditions d?emploipour les employ?s re?guliers des d?put?s, des agents superieurs de la Chambre et des bureau): de recherche, et la Politique sur la confidentialit? et les con?its ?z'm?e'r?ts. Les d?put?s, en leur qualit? d?employeurs, Ont aussi l?obligation d?offrir un milieu de travail exempt de harcelement a leurs employes. - - Ainsi, il appartient au Bureau de r?gie interne d?aider les deputes et les agents superieurs de la Chambre en mettant en place des processus qui leur permettront de traiter les questions de harcelement au sein de leurs bureaux, ainsi que de fournir de telles ressources a leurs employ?s. respectifs. Le Bureau a deja pris des mesures a'cet ?gard et continuera de travailler en we de concevoir un processus of?ciel de traitement des plaintes. ROOM 229-N, CENTRE BLOCK 229-N, EDIFJCE DU CENTRE ONTARIO Km 0A6 OTFAWA (ONTARIO) K1A 0A6 TEL.: (613) 990-8268 TEL.: (613) 990-8268 FAX: (613) 995-6668 TELEC.: (613) 995-6668 -2- Toutefois, en ce qui concerne les allegations d?inconduite personn'elle entre depute's, 1e Bureau reconna?it qu?il appartient ?1 1a Chambre, en demier ressort, de se prononcer sur la conduite de ses deput?s. Par consequent, il m?a demande? de vous ?crire pour que le Comite permanent de la procedure et des affaires de la Chambre sollicite un ordre de renvoi aupr?s de la Chambre en vue d?examiner ces questions dans le contexte du privilege parlementaire et leurs repercussions sur la conduite des d?put?s et les processus diseiplinaires. vous remercie de l?attention que vous porterez 5'1 eette question et vous prie d?agr?er, cher'collegue, mes salutations les meilleures, Andrew Scheer, d?put?