Stop NDAs for Political Sexual Misconduct

Summary#

This bill would ban non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual assault or harassment involving Nova Scotia political parties. Its goal is to stop “gag orders” that keep people from speaking about harm they say they experienced.

• Bans NDAs between a complainant (the person reporting harm) and the alleged offender or the person in charge.
• Applies to members of political parties, including MLAs, caucus staff, party staff, and House of Assembly staff.
• Covers both sexual assault and sexual harassment, whether proven or alleged.
• Means a complainant cannot be asked or allowed to sign an NDA that limits what they can say about their experience.
• The text provided does not specify penalties or how the ban would be enforced.
• Does not affect NDAs in other areas outside political parties.

What it means for you#

• Complainants (survivors)

  • You cannot be asked to sign an NDA that would stop you from sharing your experience of sexual assault or harassment involving a political party member.
  • You can still choose to keep your story private if you want, but no one can make you sign a contract to stay silent.
  • Any settlement or resolution cannot include a clause that limits your right to speak.

• Political party members and staff

  • You cannot use NDAs to resolve sexual assault or harassment complaints.
  • You will need to handle complaints without requiring the complainant to keep quiet.
  • Training, policies, and complaint processes may need updates to follow the ban.

• Political parties and caucus offices

  • Legal and HR practices must remove NDA clauses for these cases.
  • Expect more open reporting and possible public discussion of complaints.

• General public

  • You may see more transparency about sexual misconduct claims in politics.
  • The rule is limited to political parties and does not change NDA rules in other workplaces.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Stops silencing survivors and supports their right to speak about harm.
• Increases transparency and accountability in politics.
• Discourages using party or public resources to “buy silence.”
• Can help create safer workplaces by making patterns of misconduct harder to hide.
• Builds trust by showing that political parties will not hide sexual misconduct.

Opponents' View#

• Removes the option of a confidential settlement even if a survivor prefers it.
• May lead to longer or more public disputes if parties are less willing to settle without NDAs.
• The bill’s scope is narrow and does not help survivors in other sectors.
• Without clear penalties or enforcement in the text provided, the impact may be limited.
• Some worry about reputational harm from public allegations without an NDA option to manage privacy for both sides.