Canada Labour Code To Be Amended To Strengthen Provisions On Workplace Harassment

The federal government recently introduced a bill in the House of Commons that would amend both the Canada Labour Code (the Code) and the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act to address concerns regarding workplace harassment and sexual harassment.  The government says that Bill C-65 is intended to provide victims of workplace bullying, harassment and sexual harassment with better protections and support. It also aims to prevent workplace harassment and bullying by making employers responsible for ensuring that their workers are not subjected to risk of "accidents and physical or psychological injuries and illnesses."  Previously, the Code's workplace safety provisions were primarily focused on accidents and injuries.  The inclusion of psychological  injuries and illnesses is a significant expansion of the employer's health and safety responsibilities toward its workers. The draft Bill would also expand the protections in Part II of the Code (which relate