MSF is committed to a working environment of care, dignity and respect. We take reports of harassment, discrimination and abuse very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring reports are responded to fairly, promptly and with due process and procedural fairness.
MSF is committed to a working environment of care, dignity and respect. We take reports of harassment, discrimination and abuse very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring reports are responded to fairly, promptly and with due process and procedural fairness.
MSF is committed to a working environment of care, dignity and respect. We take reports of harassment, discrimination and abuse very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring reports are responded to fairly, promptly and with due process and procedural fairness. This includes making sure that people accused of harm are treated fairly and have their privacy, wellbeing and dignity respected. Below is some information and resources about how the report will be dealt with by the organization.
The Director of HR is the process lead on harassment cases. If the Director or any of the senior leadership are involved in the case, the Executive Director acts as the process lead. If the ED is involved, responsibility flips to the President of the Board.
In many instances, harassment cases will be investigated by an external investigator. The investigator will have the closest knowledge of what occurred. This is an intentional decision by the organization so that we can respond to your report thoroughly while also protecting your privacy and avoiding any unnecessary transfer of sensitive information.
To protect your privacy and your wellbeing, the final details of the investigator’s report will be redacted to remove unnecessary detail. This final report will be what is used to determine any sanctions or outcomes of the process.
Sanctions or outcomes are decided upon by the Process Lead, in consultation with the Ethics Committee.
For more information about who is involved in the management of harassment cases, see:
Role ClarityTo see our current roster of investigators and external mediators/facilitators, see:
Investigators Roster and Allied ProfessionalsBelow are a list of guiding values that MSF-C uses when investigating reports of problematic conduct. You are always entitled to engage legal counsel if you at any point have concerns or would simply like third party advice.
· Commitment to due process and procedural fairness– you have the right to know what particular actions or behaviours you are being accused of, involving whom, when and where;
· Commitment to transparency of process – if you have concerns about bias, conflict of interest or non-transparency, you have the right to appeal the process at various points, and you also have the right to consult independently;
· Commitment to professionalism – investigations are managed, conducted and the out comes interpreted by people with specialized training;
· Commitment to privacy– MSF recognizes that reports of this nature carry a particular stigma for all involved, and as such makes strong efforts to ensure the privacy of all concerned; and
· Commitment to the wellbeing of all involved – efforts are made to protect all parties from unnecessary stress and harm.
The Employee Family Assistance Programme includes confidential access to counsellors and lawyers; this is a programme paid for by MSF, but the organization does not have any access to the information you share with the EFAP practitioners.
MSF staff also have no-cost access to the PsychoSocial Focal Points: Juliet Donald (Toronto) and Richard Zereik (Montreal). Conversations with Juliet and Richard are confidential, as both are mental health practitioners accountable to independent regulating bodies.
Hard Feelings is a low-cost counselling service located on Bloor St. HF counsellors slide their fee between $50.00 and $85.00 per session, with a 10 session limit. Fees are negotiated based on income and insurance access.
www.hardfeelings.orgStudents at the Toronto Institute of Relational Psychotherapy (TIRP) offer therapy to adults at $25.00 per session. TIRP students receive supervision and support from qualified psychotherapists, and the per session fee will increase when your therapist graduates.
www.tirp-lowcost-therapy.caTherapists and healing practitioners operating out of the Village Healing Centre are committed to offering a variety of therapies at affordable rates.
www.villagehealing.ca/practitioners.htmlStudents of OISE`s counselling MEd offer sliding scale therapy to adults, couples and children based out of OISE`s Psychology Clinic. The fee is determined by the client`s income.
www.oise.utoronto.ca/psychservices/Home.htmlThe United Way maintains a database of free services offered in Ontario. Services are organized according to the topic area and focus, and you can search online:
211ontario.ca/211-topics/browse-all-topics/The Independent Legal Advice for Survivors pilot is a specialized legal aid programme that allows survivors of sexual violence to access 4 hours of independent legal advice. The ILA is available to survivors of violence aged 16 and older, living in Toronto, Ottawa and Thunder Bay. You can access the ILA by applying for a voucher online, and you are not required to disclose details of your experience. The ILA will send you a list of qualified lawyers in your region, and you can choose the practitioner who meets your needs.
www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/ovss/ila.phpThe Barbara Schlifer Commemorative Clinic is a nonprofit counselling and legal aid service focused on gender-based violence.
schliferclinic.com/Family Service Toronto offers a variety of services, including individual, family and group counselling.
familyservicetoronto.org/The Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape offers individual and group counselling to survivors of GBV from a feminist, antiracist perspective.
trccmwar.ca/Women`s College Hospital offers a Trauma Therapy Programme that supports survivors of abuse and violence using relational psychotherapy and trauma-focused approaches. You will require a family doctor`s referral to participate in TTP.
womenscollegehospital.ca/programs-and-services/mental-health/trauma-therapy-program/McGill Psycho-educational & Counselling Clinic offers therapy at $40.00 per hour. Therapists are students in the Counselling Psychology programme and are supervised by psychologists.
www.mcgill.ca/edu-ecp/about/clinicLa Clinique universitaire de psychologie de l’Université de Montréal, forte de sa mission d’offrir des services psychologiques de qualité à la population métropolitaine tout en maintenant des tarifs réduits, propose également aux psychologues des formations variées et abordables reconnues par l’Ordre des psychologues du Québec.
psy.umontreal.ca/ressources-services/clinique-universitaire-de-psychologie/poursuit une double mission; dispenser des services psychologiques et neuropsychologiques à la population et offrir un milieu de stage privilégié pour les doctorants en psychologie de l’UQAM. Ces services, offerts à prix modiques, s'adressent à toute la population. Les services sont offerts au cours de l'année académique soit, de septembre à avril et sur rendez-vous seulement.
The province maintains a list of services for survivors of gender-based violence according to region. There are four services specific to Montreal. These services support people who have experienced both physical and psychological violence. You can see the list online here:
www.quebec.ca/en/family-and-support-for-individuals/assistance-and-support/help-and-resources-for-sexual-assault-victims-and-sexual-assailants/community-organizations-that-help-victims-of-sexual-assault/AMI Quebec maintains a list of counselling services in Montreal. The list includes both free and low cost services, and is available here:
amiquebec.org/therapy/24/7 helpline, shelter, expertise in violence and immigration, tailored services, assistance with paperwork, services for kids - all this offered in english, french and spanish.
www.assistanceauxfemmes.ca/?lang=enShelter, individual and group counseling, help with paperwork, agreement with schools in the neighborhood to protect kids and partners, assessment over the phone, follow-up - offered in french, english, arabic, spanish and creole.
multifemmes.com/en/Free diapers for new moms, medical check-ups, counselling, support for victims of domestic violence - offered in french, english and spanish.
centredesfemmesdemtl.org/Info sessions, counseling services for domestic violence victims and referrals to other resources.
www.sosviolenceconjugale.ca/Shelter, psychosocial support, legal clinic and reintegration programs.
www.ydesfemmesmtl.org/Focused on housing, including services for women who are in danger of becoming homeless or leaving unsafe living situations.
www.laruedesfemmes.org/en/