As members of the Baby Ghosts community, including program participants, staff, Board members, sponsors, presenters, mentors, and partners, we commit to upholding this code of conduct and supporting the enforcement team. ## Expected behaviour - Be aware of your power and privilege in all interactions. - Include, support, and amplify voices from marginalized or underrepresented groups. - Honour boundaries. - Don't assume someone's identity, experiences, or pronouns. - Be mindful of the space you take up in discussions. - Graciously accept being corrected. - Remember that the effect of what you say matters more than what you meant. - Challenge all unacceptable behaviour. [[Code of Conduct Procedures#Receiving reports|Report]] any incidents you witness or experience. - Take responsibility for your speech and behaviour and participate in reparative processes. ## Unacceptable behaviour We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, and any behaviour that is destructive, oppressive, or exclusionary. Please see [[Code of Conduct#Definitions|definitions]] for more details on what these terms mean. ## Enforcement Under the [Canadian Human Rights Act](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/h-6/), we are obligated to take appropriate action against any community member who **harasses or discriminates** against someone else within our organization. Staff must act immediately on observations or allegations of harassment or discrimination, and address potential problems before they become serious. Anyone told to stop unacceptable behaviour must comply immediately. ## Reporting a violation If you witness or are subject to unacceptable behaviour by a member of our community (whether in our spaces or outside them), please contact the [[Conflict Resolution Committee]] at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). You may also report incidents [anonymously](https://form.asana.com/?k=K99sJAGFdDGf7fOaMJONnw&d=1200733952855099). It is our top priority to help you feel safe as quickly as possible, and we will hold your conversation in confidence. Next, we will meet to decide our response. Then, depending on the circumstances, we will warn or remove the offender, considering your and the community's safety. See [[Code of Conduct Procedures]] for more details on reporting violations of this code of conduct. ## Definitions Understanding the following key terms helps clarify our expectations: **Harassment** is a course of comments or actions that are known (or should be known) to be unwelcome. It can involve words or actions that are offensive, embarrassing, humiliating, demeaning, or unwelcome based on protected grounds identified by this code of conduct. It includes deliberate intimidation, stalking, unwanted sexual attention, following, harassing screenshotting or recording, disruption of events, aggressive, derogatory, or threatening comments, and unwanted private communication. **Discrimination** means any form of unequal treatment based on protected grounds, whether imposing extra burdens or denying benefits. It may be intentional or unintentional. It may involve direct actions that are discriminatory on their face, or it may involve rules, practices or procedures that appear neutral, but disadvantage certain groups of people. **Oppressive behaviour** is any conduct that demeans, marginalizes, rejects, threatens, or harms anyone based on [[Code of Conduct#Protected grounds|protected grounds]]. This includes behaviour that is racist, misogynistic, homophobic, classist, transphobic, fatphobic, xenophobic, or ableist. **Destructive behaviour** means deleting, defacing, or destroying shared digital files or records without the express consent of all owners. **Exclusionary behaviour** is denying specific participants opportunities to share views, skills and other contributions, engaging in favouritism, and creating or reinforcing an inequitable learning environment. ## Protected grounds We recognize and protect against discrimination or harassment based on the following grounds, and any combination of these grounds: 1. Citizenship 2. Race 3. Place of origin 4. Ethnic origin 5. Colour 6. Ancestry 7. Disability 8. Age 9. Religion 10. Pregnancy 11. Family status 12. Marital status 13. Sexual orientation 14. Gender identity 15. Gender expression 16. Association or relationship with a person identified by one of the above grounds 17. The perception that one of the above grounds applies ## Review Baby Ghosts will review this document on an annual basis (or as required) and will make necessary adjustments to ensure that it meets the needs of all community members, particularly the most vulnerable. ## Questions and feedback Concerns or questions about this code of conduct and related procedures can be made to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). We also welcome feedback from anyone in the community.