Mounties urge Supreme Court to allow class action on bullying to proceed
Published January 12, 2022 at 3:28 pm
OTTAWA — Mounties waging a class action against the RCMP over bullying and harassment are telling the Supreme Court to reject a federal move to have the suit thrown out.
The lead plaintiffs, veteran RCMP members Geoffrey Greenwood and Todd Gray, say they were among those subjected to a culture of systemic bullying, intimidation and harassment that was fostered and condoned by the RCMP leadership.
Last September the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a judge’s order certifying the action and defined the class as RCMP members and reservists who served from Jan. 1, 1995, until the recent unionization of affected members.
Two months later, government lawyers filed an application asking the Supreme Court of Canada to review the case.
In a statement, RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said the government is seeking clarity on whether the courts should certify a class action relating to workplace disputes when there are already administrative resolution processes in place.
Greenwood and Gray argue that before unionization of the force, the only recourse was through members of the chain of command who were either involved in such behaviour themselves or protected the perpetrators.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2022.
The Canadian Press
INsauga's Editorial Standards and Policies