'This will always be a fight': Women hope proposed Sask. legislation will help combat sexual harassment
CBC
After years of dealing with sexual harassment at work, Ariana Donovan created an online whisper network for others with similar experiences.
Donovan, a model based in Regina, says she wanted to help others know who they should avoid in the industry.
"Over the years, there's been times I've been underaged, and there's 50-year-old men telling me how sexy I am. It's disgusting," Donovan says.
As stories of sexual harassment and violence mounted with the private Facebook group she created, Donovan says she realized more needed to be done.
"It made me really upset that, despite this being a prominent issue, no one was really doing anything."
Donovan is one of several women who have lobbied the Saskatchewan Party government to include sexual harassment in the province's Employment Act.
Last week, the government proposed to do just that by introducing legislation to make it clear that any unwelcome action of a sexual nature constitutes harassment.
The amendment also covers independent contractors, students and volunteers, as well as Uber drivers, musicians, models and those in performing arts.
If passed, Saskatchewan would become one of five provinces to specifically reference sexual harassment in legislation.
The others are Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
"If they have a complaint, they will be able to go to labour relations and workplace safety, who will assign it to somebody and go in and can make a binding order on the employer, can lay a charge on the employer, and have them ultimately fined," says Labour Minister Don Morgan.
"They will be able to have the full scope of remedies that are available under our legislation."
Theresa Sokyrka, a singer-songwriter based in Saskatoon who rose to fame after being a runner-up on the Canadian Idol reality TV show, started a petition to advocate for the labour law changes.
She says the new legislation will empower more women to come forward.
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