By Canadian Press

Ottawa fights planned class action against RCMP for bullying, intimidation

Jul 21, 2019 | 3:03 AM

OTTAWA — The federal government is fighting a proposed class-action lawsuit against the RCMP over bullying and intimidation of members, saying the national police force already has a comprehensive policy on harassment and the Mounties have made considerable strides toward modernization.

In a submission to the Federal Court of Canada, lawyers representing the attorney general argue the action spearheaded by two veteran male Mounties, Geoffery Greenwood and Todd Gray, should not be certified.

It says the case is not about whether there is — or has been — a harassment problem in the RCMP, or even whether the RCMP’s leaders have appropriately responded to the problem.

The federal lawyers argue the sole question is whether the proposed claims ought to proceed through the vehicle of a class action, and say the proposed action fails to satisfy even the threshold for certification.

The RCMP has already settled class-action lawsuits involving millions of dollars in payouts for discrimination, bullying and harassment involving female RCMP members and those who served the force in non-policing roles from 1974 onwards.

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The current case is more general in scope, applying to employees, including men, who worked for the RCMP in a wide array of roles over the decades, but excluding women whose treatment is covered by other class actions.

The Canadian Press