OTTAWA—There is a “crisis” of harassment on Parliament Hill, a place “ripe” for abuse by power imbalances that leave young women vulnerable to harassment and powerless to complain, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu says.

MPs of all stripes launched a powerful call for action Monday to end sexual harassment and abuse they say has gone on too long in political circles, behaviour often ignored and glossed over.

Hajdu underscored the revelations of misconduct in political circles in recent weeks as debate moved forward Monday on legislation to protect workers in federally regulated sectors and notably, parliamentary staff, from such behaviour.

Hajdu, the minister of employment, workforce development and labour, said the “power imbalances” make Parliament Hill “ripe” for abuse.

“We have young, young staffers, often in precarious work positions, who are uncertain about the stability of their position, who are working with much older, much more powerful people,” Hajdu said.

“There is liberal access to alcohol. You know, this is an environment that actually sets up a culture that allows and perpetuates this behaviour,” she said.

As a result, she said there is a “whisper” network among Hill staff to warn each other about the people to steer clear of.

“People do know who to avoid at receptions or in the halls. We do know who we shouldn't meet with alone. You know, people will leave parliamentarians and try to find jobs with other parliamentarians because the workplace has been so abusive,” Hajdu said.

“This isn't something that's a brand new phenomenon. What we're saying is . . . that it's time to take action,” Hajdu said.

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Hajdu said the new legislation is meant to put in place a comprehensive system in place for preventing and dealing with incidents of harassment and sexual violence.

Conservative MP Michelle Rempel said the legislation was a good step forward but cautioned that by itself, it will not end harassment and sexism. Instead she urged a “more honest look” at what was transpiring on the Hill.

“It is a disgusting fact that we have people who feel it is within their purview to act badly, and use their power imbalance to silence and demean others,” she said in the Commons.

The MP for Calgary Nose Hill gave a sobering assessment of the atmosphere on Parliament Hill, noting that despite the talk of feminism, “there is not gender equality.”

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Women, she said, are still used as “photo op props” for quotas and optics and suffer demeaning, sexist conduct.

“Women are still touched. Our hair is still stroked. Our shoulders are still rubbed. We are still given hugs and cheek kisses that linger a bit too long. To fit in, we still laugh at the lewd jokes, and maybe even tell one ourselves, to be considered safe to socialize with and one of the boys,” Rempel said.

Those who suffer harassment and abuse often stay quiet, worried about the impact on careers if they speak out, while those who do complain are branded as “man haters” and told to stand up for themselves, she said.

Rempel said those who work on the Hill should be required to take mandatory training on how to prevent sexual harassment and education on sexual consent means.

She said political parties should have formal codes of conduct and reporting processes setting about appropriate behaviour when it comes to sex, sexual harassment, and consent.

“All candidates and political staffers should be required to sign off and adhere to this code prior to being allowed to run or work for a party,” Rempel said.

Queen’s Park and Ottawa have been rocked in the last week by complaints of misconduct. Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown was forced from his post after sexual misconduct allegations.

Days later, PC party president Rick Dykstra resigned following sexual assault accusations.

Calgary MP Kent Hehr resigned his cabinet post last week after complaints about inappropriate comments dating back to his time in Alberta politics. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to say Monday why Hehr remained in caucus.

NDP MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau (Berthier—Maskinongé) said the recent revelations have left people shaken.

“I want to take the opportunity to tell those who have come forward that we support them, we believe them, we hear them, and we will do absolutely everything we can to change the culture here on Parliament Hill,” she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged people on Parliament Hill and elsewhere to “break the taboo of silence” and speak out about incidents of harassment.

“This is a problem that has gone on far too long, and it is time we dealt with it, particularly here in Parliament where we set an example for the rest of the country,” Trudeau said.

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