Article content continued

“Over the past several months I have sensed that there is still a taboo surrounding this subject, and that it is an uncomfortable and unclear debate for many people,” St-Pierre wrote in the conclusion of her paper. “Sincere and open dialogue about sexual harassment in politics has yet to happen.”

While working as a parliamentary intern this year, St-Pierre set out to investigate whether any real transformation was underway in Ottawa’s halls of power after #MeToo stories began to emerge about Canadian politicians — people such as former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown, former Liberal cabinet minister Kent Hehr and former NDP MP Erin Weir. (The Parliamentary Internship Program annually hires a small group of graduates to conduct research projects of their choice while they spend six months each in a government MP’s office and in an opposition MP’s office.)

“I was skeptical and curious about this idea of a profound change,” St-Pierre said in an interview.

Over the past several months I have sensed that there is still a taboo surrounding this subject, and that it is an uncomfortable and unclear debate for many people

Staffers and MPs from all sides of the House of Commons, male and female, most of them speaking under condition of anonymity, described to St-Pierre a skittish atmosphere where male politicians worried about stepping into elevators alone or being at the office after-hours. Several people told her they were aware of a male MP who is no longer willing to hire female staff.

“Those changes (in behaviour) are related to fear, and some misunderstanding of what’s going on, and the idea that the price to pay if you’re wrongly accused is super high. So, they’re not even reflecting on the problem of sexual harassment on the Hill — they’re thinking, ‘What if I get wrongly accused?’ And that’s their main focus,” she said.