13-24 – Harassment Prevention and Resolution
Cadet Administrative and Training Orders (CATOs)
CATOs are gradually being replaced by CJCR Gp Orders and CJCR Group Instructions and are therefore no longer being updated or amended. There has been no content change to CATOs since 2015 and the “date modified” appearing at the bottom of this page is simply an indicator of the last time the page was reviewed, not changed. CATOs that are published on Canada.ca are considered current policy and will be removed when they are superseded.
Purpose
1. This order sets out the policy and procedures for the prevention and timely resolution of harassment within the Canadian Cadet Organizations.
2. This order comes into effect upon receipt.
Application
3. This order applies to members of the Sea, Army and Air Cadet Organizations while on duty, CF members tasked with the administration, supervision or training of cadets and civilian instructors.
4. Cadets and civilian instructors may submit a complaint under this order. Normally, a complaint will be dealt with under this order if it’s made within one year of the occurrence of the last incident on which the complaint is based. However, the commanding officer of a Regional Cadet Support Unit may, in the interest of fairness to all parties or if it is in the best interest of the DND/CF, consider complaints of alleged harassment beyond the one-year limitation.
5. This order does not preclude the application of DAOD 5012-0, Harassment Prevention and Resolution for situations where a DND employee or a CF member is involved. When a DND employee or a CF member alleges harassment, the allegation shall be dealt with in accordance with DAOD 5012-0 or other appropriate DND/CF policies in effect at the time of the complaint.
References
6. The following documents should be read in conjunction with this order:
- CATO 13-12 Supervision;
- CATO 13-25 Cadet Conflict Management System;
- CATO 15-22 Conduct & Discipline – Cadets;
- CATO 25-05 Personal Relationships;
- DAOD 5046-0 Alternative Dispute Resolution;
- DAOD 5012-0 Harassment Prevention and Resolution; and
- National Defence Security Instructions.
Abbreviations and Acronyms
7. This order contains the following abbreviations and acronyms:
Abbreviation | Complete Word or Phrase |
---|---|
ADR | Alternate dispute resolution |
CCO | Canadian Cadet Organizations |
CI | Civilian instructor |
CO | Commanding officer |
COATS | Cadet Organizations Administrative and Training Service |
CSTC | Cadet Summer Training Centre |
DCCMA | Detachment Cadet Conflict Management Advisor |
DRC | Dispute Resolution Centre |
NCPC | National Common Program Coordinator |
OPI | Office of primary interest |
QR (Cadets) | Queen’s Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Cadet Organizations |
RCCMA | Regional Cadet Conflict Management Advisor |
RCSU | Regional Cadet Support Unit |
UCCMA | Unit Cadet Conflict Management Advisor |
Definitions
8. In addition to the definitions found in QR (Cadets) and CATO 11-04, amended below as required, the following definitions also apply to this order:
“Access to Information Act”
means an act which provides a right of access to information in records under the control of a government institution in accordance with the principles that:
- government information should be available to the public;
- necessary exceptions to the right of access should be limited and specific; and
- decisions on the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of government.
(Loi sur l’accès à l’information)
“administrative investigation”
means an examination of the circumstances surrounding a situation, incident or complaint of harassment, conducted by a qualified Harassment Investigator; (enquête administrative)
“adult supervisor”
means a member of the Cadet Organization Administration and Training Service, a member of another component or sub-component of the Canadian Forces employed in support of cadets or while instructing cadets or a Civilian Instructor; (superviseur adulte)
“Alternative Dispute Resolution”
means an approach that encourages individuals to be collaborative in one-on-one dialogues or with the assistance of a third party to better understand the issues and needs from each others’ perspective and to come up with a mutually satisfactory solution; (mode alternatif de règlement des conflits)
“Canadian Human Rights Act”
means an act which provides that every person in the workplace has a right to freedom from harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, marital status, family status, disability, pardoned conviction and sexual orientation; (Loi canadienne sur les droits de la personne)
“complaint”
means a complaint that harassment may have occurred communicated by a cadet, a CF member or a CI to a person in authority, the Unit Cadet Conflict Management Advisor, Commanding Officer, or Officer-in-Charge; (plainte)
“complainant”
means any CF member, cadet or CI alleging that an incident of harassment may have occurred; (plaignant)
“Canadian Cadet Organizations”
means the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Organization, the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Organization and the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Organization, and include their individual members, i.e. cadets, and their individual corps and squadrons, but does not include the Junior Canadian Ranger Organization, nor its members or patrols; (Organisations de cadets du Canada)
“harassment”
means any improper conduct by an individual that is directed at and offensive to another person or persons during cadet duty and which the individual knew or ought reasonably to have known would cause offence or harm, which includes:
- any objectionable act, comment or display that demeans, belittles or causes personal humiliation or embarrassment;
- any act of intimidation or threat; and
- situations described in the Canadian Human Rights Act;
(harcèlement)
“Positive Social Relations for Youth Training”
- means training designed to prepare cadets to:
- interact comfortably within the community;
- interact positively with others;
- exercise sound judgment;
- accept personal responsibility for actions and choices;
- deal with interpersonal conflict; and
- seek assistance from available resources when needed.
(formation sur les relations sociales positives pour la jeunesse)
“preliminary review”
- means a review conducted by an individual receiving a complaint to determine:
- whether the harassment criteria are met, as defined at Annex B to this order;
- whether there is a possibility of a criminal infraction; and
- an appropriate course of action.
(examen préliminaire)
“Privacy Act”
means an act which protects the privacy of individuals and provides individuals with a right of access to personal information; (Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels)
“respondent”
means an individual against whom an allegation of harassment has been made; (mis en cause)
“Unit Cadet Conflict Management Advisor”
means an individual, formerly known as the Unit Human Rights Advisor (UHRA), who has successfully completed the UCCMA course and has been appointed by the CO/OIC, who provides information and advice regarding, among other topics, harassment prevention, resolution and policy. (conseiller en gestion des conflits de l’unité de cadets)
NOTE
A qualified UHRA is required to complete the Gap Package to be eligible for appointment as UCCMA.
Policy
9. The Canadian Forces are committed to ensuring the safety of every cadet and adult supervisor and to providing a respectful environment that promotes fair and equitable treatment.
10. All cadets and adult supervisors have the responsibility to treat others fairly, respectfully and with dignity in an environment free of harassment, and they have the right to be treated in the same manner. Harassment in any form shall not be tolerated.
11. Individuals directly involved in a harassment complaint has the right to have the complaint dealt with in an expeditious, impartial and sensitive manner, without fear of retaliation or retribution.
Conflict Management Advisors Appointments
12. Every Corps, Squadron and CSTC CO, and every OIC of a regionally or nationally directed activity greater than three days duration, shall appoint, either as a main or secondary duty, a qualified COATS officer to the position of UCCMA.
13. Every Cadet Detachment CO shall appoint a DCCMA.
14. Every Regional Cadet Support Unit CO shall appoint a RCCMA. Where the regional structure does not allow for DCCMAs, the RCCMA will assume the DCCMA duties.
15. The UCCMA, DCCMA, and RCCMA’s roles and responsibilities are detailed at Annex A to this order.
16. The COs/OICs shall ensure that the identity of the UCCMA is made known. Access to the UCCMA must be made readily available to those who require advice or wish to submit a complaint.
Education and Training
17. Effective methods of preventing harassment include education and training. The Positive Social Relations for Youth training is intended to be delivered by a team of instructors in order to capitalize on the leadership and instructional abilities as well as the subject matter expertise of all corps/squadron personnel.
18. All cadets and adult supervisors are required to participate in Positive Social Relations for Youth training. COs/OIC may allow interested volunteers to participate.
19. All new cadets shall complete the Building Positive Social Relations Module during their first training year. It is recommended that sub-modules 1 – 3 be completed early in the training year and, in the case of late admissions, cadets need to receive this training at the earliest possible training opportunity.
20. All phase 4/gold star/level 4 cadets shall complete the Influencing Positive Social Relations Module during their training year. It is recommended that sub-modules 1 and 2 be completed early in the training year.
21. The nature of the program, i.e. its aims and goals and its interactivity, could easily overwhelm cadets if this program was delivered in a single day. Therefore cadets shall be provided with sufficient time to self-reflect, and absorb new concepts.
22. At any time during the training year and at the CSTC, the Maintaining Positive Social Relations Module can be used as an informal learning reinforcement strategy. This module was specifically designed to reinforce learning of the formal training component without the redundancies and negative consequences of additional formal training.
23. This training is intended to be delivered by a team of instructors in order to capitalize on the leadership and instructional abilities as well as the subject matter expertise of all corps/squadron personnel.
24. Adult supervisors shall read the “Guide for all adult staff working with cadets” prior to supervising cadets.
Initiation Rites
25. Initiation rites that offend, demean, belittle or humiliate their participants constitute harassment.
26. To prevent these activities from developing into conduct constituting harassment, traditional ceremonies or initiation rites must be approved by the RCSU CO.
27. The following measures shall be in place when conducting approved ceremonies or initiation rites:
- adequate supervision shall be provided as defined in CATO 13-12;
- verbal consent shall be obtained from each participant and no person may be coerced into participating in the activities;
- activities conducted shall not include acts of violence; and
- all activities shall be consistent with the promotion of morale and esprit de corps and conducted with due regard to respect for the dignity of all participants.
Roles, Responsibilities and Rights
28. The roles, responsibilities and rights of the different parties involved in a harassment complaint are found in Annex A to this order.
Complaint Submission and Assessment And Course Of Action
29. The details on submitting and assessing a complaint and the course of action are found in Annex B to this order.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
30. Within the CCO, “ADR First” should be the response to situations of conflict and disagreement. This fundamental approach is a transformational shift in how we approach conflict with the intention of being an organization that deals with conflict when and where it occurs. If ADR is inappropriate or not suitable, then the various rights-based processes or power-based approaches for resolution are always available and accessible. The details on alternative dispute resolution techniques are found in CATO 13-25.
Administrative Investigation
31. The CO/OIC may request the RCSU CO or those with delegated authority through the appropriate Chain of Command to initiate an administrative investigation.
32. An administrative investigation of a complaint may be suspended if both parties subsequently agree to an ADR process. If ADR efforts fail, the investigation may resume.
33. There may be exceptional circumstances where the RCSU CO is completely satisfied that he/she has all the facts and the parties have been heard. In such instances, the RCSU CO may decide not to undertake a further investigation and make a decision. In doing so, the RCSU CO must ensure that the spirit and principles of this policy are met. Additionally, the RCSU CO must document the basis for the decision and place a copy on the harassment file, as well as meet all the elements of closure.
34. The procedures for conducting an administrative investigation as detailed in A-PM-007-000/FP-001, Harassment Prevention and Resolution Guidelines, shall be followed.
Incident Report Form
35. The incident report form at Annex C to this order is used to advise the chain of command of incidents that have the potential of requiring the involvement of outside agencies (i.e. police or Child Protection Agency) or higher authorities. No incident report is required for minor incidents that are resolved informally between two parties.
Annexes
Annex A
Annex B
Complaint Submission and Assessment and Course of Action
Annex C
OPI: D Cdts 2
Date: Nov 10
Amendment: Ch 21/10
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