Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Hundreds join suit against RCMP

Women officers allege harassment

By: Dene Moore

Posted: 07/31/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

VANCOUVER -- Hundreds of current and former female Mounties have come forward from across Canada to join a class-action lawsuit alleging harassment within the ranks of the RCMP.

Lawyers expected dozens of women to contact them with allegations after Janet Merlo, a 19-year veteran of the force, filed suit in March, but attorney Jason Murray said Monday that more than 200 people have called his firm in Vancouver.

"It's a significant number. It says to us there's a significant problem that people feel has happened within the RCMP with respect to how women are treated," Murray said in an interview.

And more people are expected to join the class action.

"We're still hearing from women who either are currently members of the RCMP or who have retired or left the force in other ways," Murray said.

The civil suit filed by Merlo alleges she suffered bullying and verbal abuse throughout a career that began in March 1991 and ended in March 2010, all but a few months of it at the detachment in Nanaimo, B.C.

In her statement of claim, Merlo says male members of the detachment repeatedly made statements to her then-boyfriend and now husband, Wayne Merlo, that they'd had sex with her.

Merlo claims offensive items were left in her mail slot by colleagues, including a dildo and a fictional manual titled Training Courses Now Available for Women, comprising a list of 30 courses with derogatory descriptions.

The court document claims Merlo left the force in March 2010 suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The case will officially get underway with a first appearance before B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday, but a class-action suit typically takes several years to wend its way through the courts.

Merlo's is just one of several lawsuits filed against the national police force by women who say they suffered abuse and harassment on the job.

Cpl. Catherine Galliford is suing the RCMP in a separate case claiming she suffered post-traumatic stress because of harassment that spanned two decades.

She claims she was sexually assaulted, harassed and intimidated during a career in which she was the public face of the Air India investigation and the task force that arrested serial killer Robert Pickton.

The federal government, which represents the RCMP, denied all of Galliford's allegations in a statement of defence in her case, but the rash of allegations since she came forward last fall prompted the force to announce earlier this year that it would train 100 officers to investigate internal complaints of sexual harassment.

Murray said the women who have contacted his firm concerning Merlo's suit will not be named in the lawsuit at this time, but their allegations may be heard in court as the cases progresses.

He said their complaints range from being passed over for an assignment to sexual and physical assault.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 31, 2012 A9

Factual inaccuracy? Something missing? Help improve our journalism.

Know about news? Share your story suggestions, photos and video.

Spelling error? Punctuation problem? Send us an email if you’ve found a typo.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.