Support national and provincial/territorial employee gender and harassment advisory committees (GHACs)

The goal of the Gender and Harassment Advisory Committees is to provide the Commissioner and Commanding Officers with ongoing advice on gender, sexual orientation, harassment, equity and inclusivity across the RCMP.

National and provincial/territorial Gender and Harassment Advisory Committees meet regularly, and report nationally and in all divisions (provinces/territories).

Why it matters

The establishment of the gender and harassment advisory committees was one of a number of ongoing change initiatives that were part of the Merlo-Davidson settlement agreement to improve RCMP culture, and contribute towards a more respectful, inclusive, and diverse workplace. These committees ensure that senior leaders in the RCMP can routinely engage directly with employees at all levels on existing and emerging issues.


Aug 2023

Update

Shortly after the establishment of the National Gender and Harassment Advisory Committee (NGHAC), a recommendation was made that it be merged with the National Council on Diversity and Inclusion (NCDI) to support efficiency. Since then, the National Gender and Harassment Advisory Committee has been integrating with the National Council on Diversity and Inclusion to ensure effective employee engagement on issues related to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

The Terms of Reference for the National Diversity, Inclusion, Gender and Harassment Advisory Committee (NDIGHAC) now incorporate the RCMP's obligations related to the Gender and Harassment Advisory Committees, as laid out in Change Initiatives 15-20 of the Merlo-Davidson Settlement Agreement. This new structure is more streamlined and will allow the RCMP to better leverage its engaged committee membership, align on shared objectives for advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and avoid duplication of effort.

May 2022

Update

The RCMP's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Unit (EDIU) supports the National and Divisional Gender and Harassment Advisory Committees (GHACs) in their efforts to engage employees and to facilitate sound advice to senior management, including on the recommendations in the Final Report on the Implementation of the Merlo Davidson Settlement Agreement.

National and Divisional GHAC meetings, chaired by the Commissioner and Commanding Officers respectively, are held regularly in accordance with the Merlo-Davidson settlement agreement. Annual reports of these committees are available online.

Jan 2022

Update

Since their establishment in 2017, the committees have undertaken a number of actions to support equity and inclusion, and address harassment in the workplace, including:

  • supported lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (LGBTQ2) communities, through awareness raising activities and providing input into the RCMP Guide to Supporting Transgender, Non-Binary and Two-Spirit Employees
  • advised on the creation of the Independent Centre for Harassment Resolution (ICHR) as a key initiative under the RCMP's response to the final report of the Independent Assessor for the Merlo Davidson Settlement, Broken Dreams Broken Lives: The Devastating Effects of Sexual Harassment on Women in the RCMP (Bastarache Report)
  • promoted learning activities and training on bias awareness and diversity and inclusion issues

Further detail on committee activities are included in annual reports.


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