The Senate voted to remove former independent senator Don Meredith’s honourable title, a Canadian first, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“Do we really want to run into him at state functions or see him still using his title in the public domain?” said Canadian Senators Group Sen. Josee Verner. .No senator spoke in Meredith’s defence. The undertaking asked the Senate “take the necessary steps to revoke the honorific style and title of ‘honourable’ from any former senator having been convicted of a criminal offence proceeded with by way of indictment, and former senator Don Meredith.”.He resigned five years ago following allegations he had sex with a 17-year-old girl. A 2019 investigation by the Senate Ethics Office cited complaints from employees he engaged in harassing, bullying, threatening, and intimidating conduct. .Accusers said Meredith took out his genitals in front of a female employee, put his hands under an employee’s skirt, and enjoyed hugging and kissing women staffers. Meredith allegedly told one female staffer to make sure she looked good and called another employee after hours to ask what she was wearing, as he wanted a photo. .The investigation cited allegations Meredith once pointed to a woman constable’s handcuffs and remarked she “should come back to my office there and we should try them out together.” He called a colleague a bitch..“Overall I have no reason to doubt the credibility of the six former employees,” said Senate Ethics Officer Pierre Legault. .“They also alleged his conduct in the office created a toxic and poisoned work environment.”.Verner asked what is honourable. She questioned what it takes for a person to be described honourable without an official title. .“The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines honour simply and accurately as ‘high respect, glory, credit, reputation, good name,’” she said. .“In a parliamentary context, that same dictionary defines honourable as ‘a title indicating eminence or distinction.’”.The Senate brought forward the motion to discuss removing Meredith’s honourable title in October. .READ MORE: Senate introduces motion to shame Don Meredith.“Don Meredith has already lost his honour outside this chamber at least,” said Independent Senators Group Sen. Julie Miville-Dechene. .“His actions have made him persona non grata in the eyes of the public.”
