Burlington mayor launches ‘Elect Respect’ pledge against harassment

The mayor of Burlington, Marianne Meed Ward says abuse and harassment is experienced at every level of elected leadership. And she’s asking fellow politicians and the public to treat elected officials with respect.

She’s launched an online pledge called Elect Respect and is asking colleagues and the public to sign it.

Meed Ward says she’s been harassed as an elected official and many of her female colleagues have as well — and something needs to be done.

“Everyone had a story, and not just one, multiple stories. And we realised then that it wasn’t just a one off, one individual, it was every single one of us multiple times being threatened with bodily harm – us and/or our children and our families. And we just said we have to do something about this,” said Meed Ward.

Elect Respect has launched as an online pledge asking others to treat elected officials and each other with respect in all spaces, including public, private, and online.

The idea started two years ago when then MP Pam Damoff announced that she would not seek re-election because she feared for her safety after being harassed.

“It was threats. I was grocery shopping in Burlington and had a man that recognized me and started just swearing, saying that I just deserved to be in jail for treason,” said Damoff.

Meed Ward says many female politicians are harassed. She’s experienced it herself.

“An individual reached out to my office in multiple different ways that we were not able to trace and threatened to set me on fire if I showed up at the public meeting to discuss this or if I approved it or said anything in favour of this development,” Meed Ward said.

Halton regional councillors all agreed to take the pledge Wednesday. Meed Ward hopes all levels of government will do the same.

Zee Hamid is the member of provincial parliament for Milton, and he’s speaking up in support of the cause.

“Us men need to take responsibility as well. There is a lot of male privilege because there are a lot of stories I’ve heard from female politicians that I don’t face. And unless I’m here, unless I take that pledge and participate, and unless other male politicians do, things won’t get better. So we have to take responsibility and stand up for female politicians and others when we see them getting attacked,” Hamid said.

More information can be found on the Elect Respect website.

READ MORE: Halton police arrest Hamilton man for indecent acts on GO trains