Senate regrets, will explore compensation, for employees harassed by ex-senator

The Senate's administrative committee said in a statement today it regrets that some staff of former senator Don Meredith were harassed and sexually harassed by him while they were in his employ.

The committee is also exploring financial compensation for the women who were targeted by Meredith, who resigned from the Senate in 2017.

Sen. Sabi Marwah, the chair of the Senate's committee on internal economy, budgets and administration, said in the chamber that Meredith's actions warrant "an unequivocal condemnation from the Senate and from all senators."

"Workplace harassment of any kind is unacceptable and has no place in the Senate of Canada," said Marwah.

Almost a year ago, the Senate's ethics officer issued a report following a lengthy investigation into Meredith's conduct. Meredith, appointed to the Senate on the advice of prime minister Stephen Harper in 2010, was found to have repeatedly harassed and sexually harassed multiple employees, including bullying, intimidation, kissing and touching.

Meredith had already resigned two years earlier, following a separate investigation and recommendations by the Senate's ethics committee that he be expelled for using his position of power to pursue a sexual relationship with a teenager.

Because Meredith had quit, the ethics committee could not do more with the second report, and the administrative committee took it up instead.

In February the group heard testimony from some of the staff. On Thursday, the committee accepted recommendations to issue a "formal statement of regret" and hire an outside expert to determine appropriate compensation.

The committee says the evaluator's determination will be based on other recent harassment settlements in the RCMP, Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence.

Marwah issued the statement of regret in the upper chamber on behalf of the committee Thursday afternoon.

"To the employees who were impacted, we believe you," he said.

"We also acknowledge, fully recognize and profoundly regret the pain and trauma caused by what you endured in the workplace. We want you to know that the Senate is working to prevent what happened to you from happening again."