
The LMC strives towards a culture of safety and inclusion. This code of conduct is intended to promote that culture.
All members of the LMC are expected to abide by this code whenever they are taking part in any LMC event or activity, or any other event that LMC members are attending in an official capacity. This code is a minimum standard for LMC members; additional requirements may exist for specific activities (eg. Archery, Swordplay, Public Programming).
Members are expected to behave in a respectful manner at all times during any LMC activity. The club exists to allow its members the opportunity to explore medieval history. By acting honestly and in good faith towards one another, we can acknowledge and learn from some of the more controversial aspects of the middle ages, without repeating them.
Inappropriate behaviour at LMC events includes, but is not limited to:
● Aggressive, bullying, or challenging behaviour (including taunting),
● Socially unacceptable conduct (eg. offensive or vulgar behaviour, unwanted advances, etc.),
● Behaviour at public events which undermines the reputation of the club as a professional and respectable organization (eg. inappropriate conversation or activities, ‘spit-balling’ answers to questions which may not be rooted in historical fact, etc),
● Creating a safety hazard (eg. not following LMC rules for martial activity),
● Deliberately interrupting the atmosphere of medieval immersion at specified events,
● Irresponsible substance use or abuse,
● Violating local, provincial, or federal laws,
● Violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,
● Any kind of harassment or discrimination.
It is not necessarily inappropriate to portray some historically accurate examples of medieval behaviour, for the purposes of exploring medieval social norms. Members are cautioned, however, to take prudent steps (seeking communication and explicit consent) to avoid misunderstandings, either between members, or among the general public. For example, two members may mutually decide on re-creating the conditions for a medieval duel; historically, it would be appropriate for challenges to
be uttered to each other. In such a case, it is important to ensure that everyone present knows and understands that what is going on is “all part of the show”.
If a member sees any behaviour that may be inappropriate, it can be handled in one of three ways, depending on that member's individual comfort level and the type of inappropriate behaviour:
1. You can handle the situation yourself, by having a conversation with the people acting inappropriately. If you aren't comfortable with doing so, or if that conversation doesn't work:
2. You can report the behaviour to an instructor or event organizer (or other officer in charge of an activity), and finally:
3. You can report the behaviour directly to a board member.
Inappropriate behaviour is dealt with depending on severity. In many cases, behaviour is often unintentional, and a simple reminder might suffice. More serious cases may result in temporary suspension from club activities, for a specified length of time. The most serious cases may result in permanent ejection from the club.
Regardless of how it is dealt with, inappropriate behaviour ALWAYS needs to be documented. In the case of self-managed resolution, any instructor, event organizer, or board member should be able to help you with this process, which involves a single sheet of paper (an “Incident Report”, see appendix B). For more serious claims of harassment and/or discrimination, members should refer to the Harassment and Discrimination Policy (link) and the procedures outlined therein. Documentation
is kept in club records, according to provincial law.
Any disciplinary action beyond temporary suspension from an activity needs to be handled through the board, or via the club's existing Harassment & Discrimination policies, whichever is more appropriate to the situation.