RCMP Discrimination Class Action Settlement Approved

The federal court of Canada has approved a $100 million discrimination class action settlement against RCMP over gender-based abuse and discrimination. 

The plaintiffs represent a Class of women who were in non-policing jobs in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) between 1974 and 2019. In addition, family members and spouses impacted in severe cases may also be entitled to a portion of the settlement.

“Harassment and discrimination do not have a place in our organization,” said the commissioner of the RCMP in a statement about the class action lawsuit. “I deeply regret that these women were subject to inappropriate behaviour in our workplace, and apologize for the pain caused to them and their families.”

The RCMP discrimination class action lawsuit claimed that many of these women experienced harassment based on their gender or sexual orientation, as well as retaliation and an environment of intimidation while working at the RCMP.

One of the plaintiffs reportedly experienced harassment at the age of 17, when she joined a work experience program with the RCMP. She says she was groomed by her supervisor who ended up having sex with her on several occasions. The experiences spiraled her into alcohol abuse, says the plaintiff in the RCMP discrimination class action lawsuit.

“This whole endeavour is about exposing an institution who was there to protect us but instead protected their own who did wrong,” the plaintiff said of the RCMP discrimination class action lawsuit in an interview with the CBC.

Another woman says she experienced constant harassment and abuse when she worked with the RCMP in British Columbia. In the face of sexual abuse, she says that she had to learn to be a “team player” or quit her job.

According to the CBC, the law firm representing the plaintiffs in the RCMP discrimination class action lawsuit expects that the number of Class Members could be as high as 4,000. Class Members can submit claims between May 10 and Nov. 5, 2020. Claims are expected to be between $10,000 and $222,000 for each Class Member.

“It is to be a non-adversarial process and contains the feature of a non-retaliation directive so that class members still working with the RCMP may claim without fear of retaliation,” states the settlement approval order written by Federal Court Judge Michael Phelan.

This RCMP discrimination class action lawsuit is similar to another reached in 2016 that covered women in policing roles with the RCMP who alleged discrimination and harassment since 1974.

“Given the parallel situation with respect to female members of the RCMP whose settlement was approved…it would be a travesty of justice to deny the non-members covered in the present class a reasonable settlement of their claim,” pointed out Judge Phelan in the approval order. “The defendant, through the RCMP having settled liability to serving members of the RCMP for harassment and discrimination, could hardly avoid making a settlement in respect of civilian workers and similarly situated persons.”

Did you suffer discrimination or harassment while working at the RCMP? Tell us your story in the comment section below!

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The plaintiffs are represented by Klein Lawyers and Higgerty Law.

The RCMP Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit is Cheryl Tiller, et al. v. Her Majesty The Queen, Case No. T-1673-17, in the Federal Court for Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 

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