Harassment, Bullying & Discrimination Policy
Updated: August 9, 2022
Policy Statement:
1. Morrisburg & District Skating Club is committed to providing a working, volunteering, and skating environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to participate in a respectful environment free from bullying, harassment and discrimination. Morrisburg & District Skating Club adheres to and is governed by Skate Canada’s Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Policy and is governed by the Skate Canada Complaints Policy.
Discrimination:
2. Every Skate Canada registrant is entitled to participate free from discrimination. Morrisburg & District Skating Club strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, national place of origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), religious beliefs, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family or marital status, or any other ground or characteristic protected under applicable provincial human rights legislation (“Protected Characteristics”).
3. This policy addresses discrimination as contemplated by the applicable provincial human rights legislation. Under this policy, “discrimination” is differential treatment on the basis of Protected Characteristics. Discrimination may also be found where a requirement, qualification or factor exists that is not discriminatory on its face but results in the exclusion, restriction, or preference of a group of persons who are identified by a prohibited ground of discrimination and cannot be demonstrated to be reasonable and justified in the circumstances.
Bullying & Harassment:
4. Harassment may relate to a form of discrimination set out in human rights legislation, but it does not have to. Discriminatory harassment includes harassment related to race, sex, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, disability or medical condition or age.
5. Bullying and harassment are any behavior that demeans, embarrasses, humiliates, or verbally abuses a person and that is known or would be expected to be known to be unwelcome. Prohibited conduct includes but is not limited to the following behaviors:
- written or verbal abuse or threats, including swearing
- intimidating conduct or gestures
- unwelcome remarks, jokes, taunts
- unwelcome physical contact
- physical or sexual assault
- vandalism of personal property
- abuse of authority which undermines performance or threatens an individual’s career
- racial, religious, or ethnic slurs
- practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment, endangers a person’s safety, or negatively affects performance
- unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, requests for sexual favors or invitations whether indirect or explicit
- unwelcome comments, innuendo, taunting, or questions about a person’s looks body, attire, age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or sex life
- displays of pornographic, racist, or other offensive or derogatory material
- leering, whistling, or other suggestive or obscene gestures
- condescending, paternalistic, or patronizing behavior which undermines self-esteem, diminishes performance, or adversely affects the skating environment
6. Sexual harassment may be directed at registrants of the same sex or the opposite sex.
7. This repetitive improper behavior is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, malicious, degrading, or embarrassing. The improper behavior does not have to be made with the intent to harass or discriminate, to be in violation of this policy.
Application of the Policy:
8. This policy applies to all registrants of the Morrisburg & District Skating Club, including coaches, athletes, volunteers, parents, and club Board of Directors. Morrisburg & District Skating Club encourages the reporting of all incidents of harassment, regardless of who the offender may be.
9. This policy applies to discrimination, bullying and harassment which may occur at or during the course of any skating activity or event (including skating activities or events of registrant organizations). It also applies to prohibited conduct occurring outside of those situations, when the harassment or bullying is occurring between persons covered by this policy, and the conduct adversely affects the skating environment.
10. Every registrant of the Morrisburg & District Skating Club has a responsibility to play a part in ensuring that the skating environment is respectful and free from discrimination, bullying and harassment. This means not engaging in, allowing, condoning, or ignoring behavior which is contrary to this policy. In addition, any registrant of the Morrisburg & District Skating Club who believes that a fellow registrant of the club has experienced or is experiencing harassment is encouraged to notify the Morrisburg & District Skating Club.
Complaints:
11. An individual who believes he or she has been harassed has the right:
a)to file a complaint to the President or Board, without fear of embarrassment or retaliation; and
b)to contact the appropriate provincial human rights commission directly, if desired.
Confidentiality:
12. Morrisburg & District Skating Club understands that it can be extremely difficult to come forward with a complaint of discrimination, bullying or harassment, and that it can be devastating to be wrongly accused of such conduct. Morrisburg & District Skating Club recognizes the interests of both the complainant and the respondent in maintaining confidentiality.
13. Morrisburg & District Skating Club shall maintain all records in a confidential manner, except to the extent that disclosure of any of this information is necessary for the purposes of investigating the complaint or taking disciplinary and corrective action in relation to the complaint or is required by law.
Policy administration
MDSC will maintain and review this policy every three years at a minimum.
DISCLAIMER: Printed hard copies of controlled documents are considered uncontrolled. All personnel using hard copies for ease of reference are required to determine the up-to-date status of any hard copy document to ensure it matches the current electronic version.