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POLICY ON FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT
of the
TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER
POLICY: 115A
Approved by: 13 January 2025
Motion#: 25-009
1.
PURPOSE
1.1
To assist Council in fostering an environment that is respectful and
free from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment and
discrimination.
1.2
To ensure that councillors do not, by virtue of the clothing or
personal items, communicate messages that are hateful, destructive,
disruptive or disrespectful towards people on Council, the Town of
Bridgewater, or its citizens.
1.3
Section 19(3) of the Code states that a Council member must not
engage in any discriminatory or harassing action or conduct, verbal
or non-verbal, directed at one or more individuals or groups that
creates a poisoned environment.
2.
DEFINITIONS
2.1
"Code" means the Code of Conduct for Elected Officials of the Town
of Bridgewater.
2.2
"Personal items" includes items such as, but not limited to: pins,
hats, coffee mugs, stickers, computers, and vehicles.
2.3
"Poisoned environment" means an environment where harassing
or discriminatory conduct causes significant and unreasonable
interference with a person's work environment.
3.
POLICY STATEMENT
3.1
Council members shall not wear clothing or display personal items
that contain profane language, use racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic,
or other hate speech in the form of written words, logos, or other
imagery that reflects negatively on Council as a whole, individual
councillors, the Town of Bridgewater, or its citizens.
Policy: 115A
Fostering a Respectful Environment
Page 2
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3.2
Council members are expected to place municipal interests and
priorities over private, personal, or individual interest.
3.3
The Mayor, or their delegate, has the discretion to remove a
councillor from the meeting or proceedings for wearing clothing or
personal items that do not comply with this policy.
3.4
The Mayor, or their delegate, may excuse a councillor from complying
with this policy upon receiving a satisfactory explanation from the
councillor.
4.0
APPLICATION
4.1
This policy operates together with the Regulation N.S. Reg.
219/2024, effective October 20, 2024, under Section 520 of the
Municipal Government Act, and the Town of Bridgewater's Code of
Conduct, effective November 25, 2024.
4.2
All Council members are required to comply with this policy when
carrying out their functions as elected representatives.
4.3
Nothing in this policy precludes a member of Council from asking
Council to make an allowance or exception for clothing or clothing
accessories that are deemed by Council to be in the best interest of
the Council or Town of Bridgewater.
5.0
SCOPE
5.1
In Scope
5.1.1 The wearing of clothing or display of personal items that
contain written words, logos, symbols, images, or pictures
that could be perceived as offensive, disrespectful, promotes
hate or otherwise reflects negatively on Council as a whole,
individual councillors, the Town of Bridgewater, or its citizens
are prohibited.
Policy: 115A
Fostering a Respectful Environment
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5.2
Out of Scope
5.2.1
This policy does not apply to clothing or personal items that
support an inclusive community such as, but not limited to:
2SLGBTQI+ community, orange shirts on National Day of
Truth and Reconciliation, or the wearing of poppies.
5.2.2
This policy has no bearing on items of clothing that are
related to an individual's religion, faith, or heritage. Examples
include, but are not limited to a: crucifix, kippah, yarmulke,
hijab, niqab, tarboosh(fez) or a turban.
5.2.3
Employee expectations are governed through the Personnel
Policy and Procedures Manual.