Are we becoming too Politically Correct?

shawn5o

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You are right about that. Some ways that people was treated 30-40 years ago is just wrong. I remember on a harrassment briefing, a question was asked, "If a person overheard a conversation between other people that offended the person over hearing it, could they make a harrassment complaint?" Maybe I am wrong, but to me this is ridiculous.
It did happen. At out briefing in Edmonton, the answer to your question(?) is yes, a complaint can be addressed
 

shawn5o

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So, if a person of colour hears two people using the "N" word in conversation, or an indigeneous person hears a conversation about how "lazy Indians are just a bunch of alcoholics", they shouldn't be offended?? Or they shouldn't report it as harrassment?
And what happens if one tells a unPC joke and it is overheard? You know, maybe a disparaging joke about the PM (blackface comes to mind)
And everyone should take offence to eavesdroppers
 

Jarnhamar

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And what happens if one tells a unPC joke and it is overheard? You know, maybe a disparaging joke about the PM (blackface comes to mind)
And everyone should take offence to eavesdroppers

The harassment criteria for the Canadian Forces requires it to be directed at an individual (ie you) so over hearing something you don't like doesn't constitute harassment. The caveat is that if the comment is directed towards someone that is protected against discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act then it can constitute as being directed towards an individual and meet the harassment criteria.
 
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daftandbarmy

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I have complained about someone abusing one of their own people, which I was a witness to, and the abuser was punished. I didn't feel bad about 'squealing' at all because the offender deserved everything he got.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [or women] to do nothing.”― Edmund Burke
 

PMedMoe

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And everyone should take offence to eavesdroppers

Who said anything about eavesdropping? Ever been in a big group out in the smoking area or at the mess? If someone doesn't want their conversation to be overheard, then they should do it in private. And if they're making racist comments, they should be called out for it, regardless if someone is offended or not.
 

shawn5o

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The harassment criteria for the Canadian Forces requires it to be directed at an individual (ie you) so over hearing something you don't like doesn't constitute harassment. The caveat is that if the comment is directed towards someone that is protected against discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act then it can constitute as being directed towards an individual and meet the harassment criteria.
Let me get this straight

(True story) My ex-girlfriend overheard a female colleague of mine stating slanderous thoughts about me with other military members present but that doesn't count, right Jarnhamar?

Because I took it to my superior (a WO) and it was dismissed

Thanks ladies and other progs (especially to that army commander- you know who you are)
 

The Bread Guy

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.... maybe a disparaging joke about the PM (blackface comes to mind) ....
If you're talking at work, notwithstanding the ethics of bashing one's head of government while in uniform, should the response depend on whether one likes or dislikes the PM in question? 😉
 

shawn5o

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If you're talking at work, notwithstanding the ethics of bashing one's head of government while in uniform, should the response depend on whether one likes or dislikes the PM in question? 😉
I don't know milnewsbay

Everyone in my "bubble" knows I can't stand the PM but this is now and not when I was in uniform.

Besides if I tell a "dirty" joke and a female peer overhears it, not my problem.
 

Jarnhamar

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Let me get this straight

(True story) My ex-girlfriend overheard a female colleague of mine stating slanderous thoughts about me with other military members present but that doesn't count, right Jarnhamar?

Because I took it to my superior (a WO) and it was dismissed

Thanks ladies and other progs (especially to that army commander- you know who you are)
Depends what you mean by whether it counts or not. There's a big chance the rules have changed since this happened to you, I'm talking about current stuff.

If that happened today could your ex-girlfriend put in a harassment complaint against your female colleague because of what she said about you? Yes she could submit it, but it wouldn't meet the criteria as harassment since the comments were about you and not her. So the CO could dismiss it. Shes not being harassed.

Could you submit a harassment complaint against your female coworker because of? Yes you could, and (in my opinion) it would meet all of the criteria for harassment so it could go forward and be investigated.

Under the current rules a WO can't dismiss an official harassment complaint.

Just to add I think this newer system is more robust and better than in past. I remember the days when someone who was pissed off would accuse everyone who looked at them of harassment and the CAF would investigate regardless of how stupid or frivolous the accusations were. Having a criteria, again just guessing, makes it more fair.
Besides if I tell a "dirty" joke and a female peer overhears it, not my problem.
Are you talking about a DND work place?
 
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shawn5o

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"Are you talking about a DND work place?"

No Jarnhamar

But it evolved to the MP unit and then I took "action" that proved a MCpl's slander is more trustworthy than a cpl
 

YZT580

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interesting though that a comedian can tell those jokes in a theatre but if you repeat it with the wrong folks listening you are in a whole lot of hurt
 

Navy_Pete

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interesting though that a comedian can tell those jokes in a theatre but if you repeat it with the wrong folks listening you are in a whole lot of hurt
Oh jeez, thought the brass was going to shut off his mike at one we had about five years ago at the xmas happy tour. I think we had just finished our last round of OP Honour briefings and we were all on a 2 beer limit off duty, so it was just really really uncomfortable for everyone. He was pretty hammered too so it was just awkward, but they switched over to the music act pretty quick. Mentally pictured the giant gong show cane coming out to yank him off to the side.

Meeting Guy Lafleur and Donovan Bailey was pretty cool, but really hard to do a comedy act in any kind of professional workplace setting, let alone for an organization that had spent the whole year being dragged for having a highly sexualized culture, so they could probably just can that bit. The music was pretty good though.
 
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