I recently returned from a trip to the United Kingdom, where I had the opportunity to spend time
with my friend — and someone I deeply admire — Zelda Perkins.
If Zelda’s name feels familiar, it’s because she was one of the major catalysts of the #MeToo
movement. She was among the first former employees of Miramax to break her non-
disclosure agreement (NDA) with Harvey Weinstein. Zelda’s NDA, like many signed by
Weinstein’s employees, was egregious — it barred her from speaking to the police, her family, a
therapist, or anyone about what she witnessed, except her lawyer and financial advisor.
You may have seen the film She Said, and remember the scene where actress Samantha
Morton (playing Zelda) hands a copy of that infamous NDA to the New York Times reporters.
Watch the scene here (2:49 mark).
I cannot understate the importance of this moment, and the risk she took, to break her silence.
Like many people in 2017, I watched in horror — and, truthfully, with deep admiration — as
Zelda and so many other women risked everything to hold Weinstein accountable. What
followed was something the world had never seen before. The #MeToo movement began.
Women everywhere began to find the courage to speak out about their own experiences of
abuse, harassment, and assault in the workplace.
I was one of them. Read my story here.
Can’t Buy My Silence
In 2021 — four years after she broke her NDA — Zelda co-founded Can’t Buy My Silence, a
campaign to end the misuse and abuse of NDAs.
Zelda has always been clear: predators are a problem, but it’s the legal systems and
culture of silence that allows them to thrive.
I had the privilege of joining the Canadian movement for a time, and while I’ve since stepped
away from the formal campaign (see why here), I remain committed to pushing governments
across Canada to pass legislation banning the abuse of NDAs.
A Full-Circle Moment
Last month, my visit with Zelda came on the heels of a momentous legislative milestone in the
UK. In September, Members of Parliament voted in favour of Amendment 22 to the
Employment Rights Act, which makes any contract term void if it tries to stop a worker from
disclosing or alleging harassment or discrimination — or speaking about how their employer
handled it.
The bill now awaits final approval from the House of Lords before receiving Royal Assent.
UK Government: Ban on Controversial NDAs Silencing Abuse
In simple terms: the UK is about to have the most comprehensive legislation in the world
banning the misuse of NDAs.
In addition to Amendment 22, October 1 also marked changes to the Victims and Prisoners Act
of 2024 whereby “all future confidentiality agreements cannot stop a victim of a crime from
speaking to:
● Police and law enforcement
● Lawyers
● Doctors and regulated professionals
● Victim support services
● Regulators
● And trusted family members.”
As Zelda told The Guardian in a recent interview: “There’s nowhere for [predators] to hide
anymore.”
Read: “There’s nowhere for them to hide anymore” – The Guardian, July 2025
So, What’s the Hold Up, Tim?
If the very country on which our legal system is based — the Westminster system — can ban
the misuse of NDAs, why can’t Nova Scotia?
Seven years after Zelda’s courageous act, and with overwhelming evidence of harm caused by
abusive NDAs, Nova Scotia continues to stall.
The excuses are all too familiar:
● “We’re doing jurisdictional scans.”
● “It’s not trauma-informed.”
Meanwhile, our neighbours in Prince Edward Island passed their own legislation back in 2021
— without major complaints from lawyers or survivors.
In Ireland, Senator Lynn Ruane introduced a bill amending the Employment Equality Act to
restrict NDAs in workplace harassment and discrimination cases. “Excepted” NDAs are still
possible — but only under strict, survivor-driven conditions such as time limits and public-
interest considerations. The Senate passed the bill in October 2023, and it’s now with the Dáil.
And south of the border? Despite the constitutional chaos, the U.S. continues to pass NDA
regulations. Even American conservatives recognize that forcing victims of childhood abuse to
stay silent is unconscionable.
See: U.S. States Regulating NDAs – Venable LLP, 2024
The Silence in Nova Scotia
So why is the Houston government — the government of “getting it done” — dragging its
heels?
No one really knows.
Perhaps it’s because meaningful change would require the government to spend more than a
week in the legislature; more than tabling one sweeping and ridiculous omnibus bill; more than
using the military as pawns in a PR stunt.
But, as we know, when people gain power, they often forget what it’s like to live without it.
As opposition leader, Tim Houston was a vocal advocate for justice — calling for an inquiry into
the Portapique massacre, and touting a need for transparency and accountability. But in power,
he’s been conspicuously quiet on issues like non-disclosure agreements and the epidemic of
gender-based violence.
On one hand he made a name for himself as s defender of the defenseless, and in another he’s
completely ignoring those who are asking for his help.
Politicians do what politicians do. Even popular ones.
Make It Happen, Tim
So what will it take for Nova Scotia’s government to finally act?
I don’t know. But like Zelda Perkins, I will not give up.
It took seven long, exhausting years of advocacy for the UK to get this far — but it happened.
And it will happen here, too.
We are building a growing network of survivors, advocates, and allies across Canada who
refuse to accept the status quo. The political will might be missing now, but the public will is
growing stronger every day.
Make it happen, Tim. Time is running out. And if you don’t act soon, you’ll find yourself on the
wrong side of history.
Liz LeClair is a gender-based violence advocate and activist based in Punamu’kwati’jk (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia).
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