Additionally, 46% say they couldn’t talk about it or report it, and 75% of those who thought it was unsuccessful or don’t know if it led to a resolution.
According to the document, the consultation aims to prepare the implementation of policies on fraud, gifts and harassment in the workplace. The aim of this exercise is to enable staff representatives to better understand your knowledge, perceptions and expectations in these areas, particularly in relation to moral and/or sexual harassment, it said.
But there is still work to be done, as 92% of employees are unaware of the OIF’s moral or sexual harassment policy. In general, 43% of employees admit not knowing that the OIF has a code of conduct and ethics or believe that there is none. 67% have not read it.
According to the survey responses, there are several obstacles when it comes to reporting a situation. First, the fear of negative effects on his career with 78%. Then the feeling that no one will do anything to help, at 65%.
The survey is very timely: it was conducted last December and January. It is therefore a portrait of the climate currently prevailing at the OIF, a few months after the renewal of Secretary General Louise Mushikiwabo’s mandate, during the Francophonie Summit in Djerba, Tunisia.
207 respondents, mostly women, completed the questionnaire. On its website, the OIF states that it employs more than 300 people [travaillent] in the head office, in Paris or in external representations. This means that more than two thirds of the employees answered the questions. These results were communicated to the teams in the past few days.
Canada affected
Extremely concerned about the picture emerging from this consultation, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly wrote to the Secretary-General.
According to our information, the letter mentions that Canada does not tolerate harassment of any kind, be it psychological, physical, sexual or otherwise. In the face of these worrying results, it is up to the highest authorities of the OIF to take swift and concrete action.
The minister’s office, which was contacted to confirm this information, does not deny the existence of the correspondence and reiterates that it has zero tolerance for harassment, including within international organizations.
The Secretary General of the OIF, Louise Mushikiwabo.
Photo: Getty Images / Ludovic Marin
Disturbing words from the Secretary-General
According to our information, Canada first mentioned this consultation during a meeting of the Permanent Council of Francophonie (CPF) on Tuesday, which brings together the members of the OIF, including Quebec and Canada, a meeting that took place behind closed doors. Canada called for a new meeting to be held where preventing and addressing all forms of harassment would be on the agenda.
According to our sources, the Secretary-General’s reaction did not reassure the assembly. Not only did she say she was surprised that an internal poll was recently sent out to a member without notifying them first, but she indicated in front of all members that she assumed the gesture was from the outgoing admin.
As Enquête revealed last month, Geoffroi Montpetit has been fired for his services as an administrator. He was number two in the organization after the general secretary. Following Catherine Cano’s departure before the end of her term, he is the second Canadian civil servant to leave the OIF in just over two years, a surprise departure that has raised questions in Ottawa and Quebec.
The OIF denied that any controversy, disagreement or internal conflict was the reason for Geoffroi Montpetit’s departure.
Geoffroi Montpetit succeeded Catherine Cano when she left the OIF in 2020.
Photo: Radio Canada / Julie Dufresne
On Tuesday, the CPF approved the appointment of Caroline Saint-Hilaire, former Bloc member, former mayor of Longueuil and defeated candidate for the Coalition avenir Québec, as administrator. She also refused to take office thanks to a partisan appointment, which opposition parties in the National Assembly accuse the CAQ government of doing.
Questioned in Quebec on Wednesday about the work that awaits Caroline Saint-Hilaire, Minister for International Relations and La Francophonie, Martine Biron admitted that the management of the OIF needs to be closely examined.
There is still a lot to be done at the OIF, I admit that there have been problems with governance and transparency, she said. There is work that has already been done in recent years and that work is not finished, it will continue in the years to come.
The OIF declined to comment on our information. The Secretary General is the supreme authority of our organization and as you have been informed of her remark made this Tuesday during the Francophonie Permanent Council, we authorize you to publish in detail her remarks to which we have nothing to add for the moment we were told.