OTTAWA -- Content warning: The content may be distressing to some readers.
The federal government and RCMP have admitted that 鈥渁 lot of work鈥� is needed to address the systemic problems within Canada鈥檚 national police force, after a scathing new report details a 鈥渢oxic鈥� culture and tolerance of misogyny, racism, and homophobia amongst its members and leaders.
These findings were former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Michel Bastarache, in relation to the implementation of the Merlo Davidson settlement agreement.
He is calling for external help and an independent study of all aspects of the RCMP to identify and remove the systemic barriers that are preventing women from succeeding within the force, as well as an in-depth examination of the future of the RCMP as a federal policing organization.
Bastarache said the RCMP has had years to fix these issues and said he has strong reasons to doubt the force's capacity to make the changes needed under the current organizational structure.
鈥淲hat I learned in reviewing claims and speaking to claimants has led me to conclude that the RCMP has a toxic culture which has proved intractable to change despite numerous reports and substantial litigation costs. This culture promotes, or at the very least tolerates, misogynistic, racist and homophobic attitudes among many members of the RCMP. Such attitudes cause harm and are inconsistent with the Charter values of equality. They must not be allowed to persist,鈥� he writes.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the report on Thursday, saying that when his government appointed RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki, she was tasked specifically with changing the culture inside the police force, saying 鈥渇or far too long,鈥� people showed up to work in a place they did not feel safe.
鈥淚f an organization cannot keep its own members safe from harassment and discrimination, how can Canadians have confidence in them, to keep them safe as they enforce the law? There is a need for a lot of work, moving forward to improve and reform the RCMP,鈥� Trudeau said.
As part of that class action lawsuit related to sexual harassment of women within the RCMP, 2,304 women received compensation out of a total of 3086 claims. The government has paid out $137.4 million as part of this process, $125.4 million of which went to claimants and the rest in legal fees to the firms that acted as class council.
The report, called 鈥淏roken Dreams Broken Lives,鈥� digs into the 鈥渄evastating effects鈥� of the women who experienced this treatment within their workplace for years. Bastarache has made 52 recommendations for change, including to training, recruitment, job postings, human resources policies and more.
He stated that financial compensation and lawsuits don鈥檛 scratch the surface of remedying the top-down 鈥渨holesale鈥� change needed across the country.
鈥淔ixing the RCMP and addressing the negative culture that has taken root in it will take an immense effort and will require the good will of its leaders and members. Most of these individuals are invested in the status quo and will not likely want to make the necessary changes to eradicate this toxic culture,鈥� Bastarache said.
RCMP HEAD: 'WE FAILED THEM'
In , the RCMP says it acknowledges the impacts of workplace harassment and the courage of the women who came forward. It also states that the RCMP is committed to making 鈥渕eaningful, holistic鈥� change. The statement goes on to highlight some of the measures taken and underway, that are meant to get at the harmful culture within its ranks.
During a teleconference, commissioner Lucki鈥攑articipating in the teleconference from self-isolation, as she is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test鈥攅xpressed regret about the findings, saying said that many of these women set the path that she has walked.
鈥淲e failed them, because they are women,鈥� Lucki said. She said that the behaviour documented is 鈥渘ot what we are as an organization,鈥� and she found it hard to read, pledging to stamp out hate within her organization.
鈥淚 am angry for these women,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am so very sorry.鈥�
Facing questions about the impact these findings and the recent questions over Lucki鈥檚 acknowledgement of system racism within the RCMP have on the public鈥檚 trust in police, the commissioner said the report is putting new wind in her sails to pursue reforms.
However, she wouldn鈥檛 say whether she supports the specific call for a wholesale examination of the future of the force, but said if further review is needed she welcomes it.
In advance of Lucki, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair 鈥淣o one should have to experience discrimination and harassment in the workplace, but we know that this is an everyday reality for many women and LGBTQ2S+ employees in Canada and in the RCMP.鈥�
He called the 鈥渟ystemic patterns of abusive behaviour鈥� in the RCMP as 鈥渞epulsive and unacceptable.鈥� Blair said he has spoken with Lucki and insisted the behaviour 鈥渕ust end now.鈥�
Addressing reporters later on in the day, Blair said the government is on board with making the required reforms, in response to a question about whether it鈥檚 time to rethink the RCMP鈥檚 role.
鈥淲e are absolutely committed to the reform, and I鈥檒l have more to say in the coming weeks about the direction that reform will take and how we hope to achieve that鈥� It鈥檚 such an important undertaking. It has challenged successive governments over several decades. There have been a number of different reports, which are very helpful,鈥� Blair said.
In 2016, then-RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson issued an apology and since the claim process has been underway as Bastarache travelled the country to compile research to inform this report.
'IT SHOOK ME'
The Merlo Davidson settlement is named after plaintiffs Janet Merlo and Linda Davidson, who were among the female officers and employees to report bullying, harassment, and discrimination while working for the RCMP.
In an interview on 麻豆传媒 Channel, Davidson said that while she鈥檚 known and lived the reality inside the RCMP for years, reading the entirety of the report blew her away.
鈥淚t shook me. It shook me to my depth to realize what was going on,鈥� she said.
Asked if she thinks Lucki has what it鈥檒l take to turn things around, Davidson said she thinks the commissioner鈥檚 heart is 鈥渋n the right place,鈥� but she鈥檚 鈥渟truggling to get it done.鈥�
鈥淏astarache was completely, 100 per cent right: they cannot do it by themselves. There has to be an outside committee or council struck to ensure the changes occur and to be the backbone to making it happen,鈥� she said, suggesting the members should have a say in who takes this task on.
鈥淭here's a lot of good individuals, male and female that are doing the frontline work right now, but middle management and management: step it up, be a leader. It's got to change,鈥� Davidson said.
Among the examples of mistreatment raised during this class action process:
- claimants being removed from, or not allowed to go on courses as a form of reprisal for not agreeing to a sexual relationship with a supervisor, or for complaining about harassment;
- accounts of sexual assault and gender-based discrimination arising out of specialized teams such as the undercover team, the tactical teams, the canine unit and the Musical Ride program.
- penetrative sexual assaults, pejorative comments, sexualized comments in the workplace, and LGBTQ members being outed without their consent.
Many of the women who came forward in this process have been diagnosed with serious psychological injuries including depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and anxiety. One claimant died by suicide, while many women have expressed a lack of trust in others, feelings of isolation, a lack of self-esteem, and challenges in personal relationships.
With files from 麻豆传媒' Michel Boyer
