THUNDER BAY – Ontario’s premier paid a visit to Lakehead University Wednesday afternoon.
Kathleen Wynne, in town with a number of provincial ministers, appeared at Lakehead University’s Gender Issues Centre to discuss proposed legislation that would make all colleges and universities in the province adopt a stand-alone sexual violence policy.
The university has had its own policy in place since 2014 when a former student raised concerns about her own experience with sexual assault while attending Lakehead University.
Wynne said the introduced Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act was partly inspired by students at Lakehead and would work to make campuses across the province safer.
It would mandate that schools have a clearly stated protocol to address sexual assault complaints, training and prevention and make sure service and support for survivors would be available 24 hours a day.
Wynne told the room that she hopes all sectors will eventually adopt similar policies.
"This is a societal issue," she said.
