NDP says Zach Churchill breached legislature's harassment policy
Premier Stephen McNeil says Churchill has not harassed anyone
Nova Scotia's NDP wants Premier Stephen McNeil to acknowledge Minister of Education Zach Churchill breached the Nova Scotia legislature's harassment policy.
NDP House Leader Claudia Chender said allegations made by the leader of the PC Party, Tim Houston, as well as two former MLAs clearly demonstrate Churchill broke the rules.
"The question is what's he going to do about it now?" said Chender.
Former Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse told CBC News Wednesday that Churchill crossed the floor and stood behind her seat in the chamber after a combative question period.
She claims he grabbed her shoulder roughly while she had her back to him.
Her cabinet colleague, Ramona Jennex, accused Churchill of berating her outside the chamber in 2012 and poking her in the shoulder.
Houston said when he and Churchill were embroiled in a heated exchange on budget day, the cabinet minister grabbed him by the shoulder.
How is workplace harassment defined?
The three-year-old Nova Scotia House of Assembly Policy on the Prevention and Resolution of Harassment in the Workplace defines harassment as any behaviour, act, conduct or comment that:
- "Would be unwelcome and cause offence or harm.
- Would demean, belittle, intimidate, threaten, distress, humiliate or embarrass.
- Would affect a person's reputation.
- Would endanger a person's job, undermine job performance, threaten economic livelihood or interfere with one's career.
- Would be discrimination on account of one or more factors listed in the Human Rights Act.
- Would be bullying as defined under the Education Act.
- Would be cyberbullying as defined under the Cyber-safety Act or under another Act."
Chender said harassment is not acceptable in any Nova Scotia workplace.
"It shouldn't be acceptable here," she said.
Premier's response
Asked by a reporter Churchill had harassed anyone, Premier Stephen McNeil said no.
He also disputed former NDP leader Maureen MacDonald's account of a conversation she claims to have had with the premier after the confrontation between Churchill and Peterson-Rafuse.
McNeil said he never had a conversation with MacDonald involving an allegation Churchill became physical.
"I can't tell you the exact conversation I had with her, but I can tell you that I would know if somebody says to me there was physical contact," he said. " Anyone who knows me, knows that would be a deal breaker."
McNeil called physical violence "unacceptable."
"Everyone should feel safe in their workplace and while we have a difference on what happened, I address it to the best of my ability," he said.
It's unclear if Houston has filed a complaint because they are dealt with in secret and people connected to a complaint cannot share information.
Under the policy, disciplinary measures may be taken against someone who inappropriately discloses information.