Harassment, bullying continues in national police force: Liberal MP | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Harassment, bullying continues in national police force: Liberal MP

Image Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons/Etruska

VANCOUVER - A Liberal MP who has met with Mounties across the country says officers tell her harassment and bullying continue within the force, despite assurances of action by the RCMP's top brass.

MP Judy Sgro, along with Senator Grant Mitchell, hosted four private sessions between April and October 2013 asking Mounties to share their experiences.

Sgro says they were told of recurring incidents with the direct knowledge of superiors, that participants claimed were dismissed as hazing, character building or "just the guys blowing off steam."

After several high-profile lawsuits were filed by former Mounties, an RCMP watchdog investigation last year found 90 per cent of 718 complaints filed by employees between 2005 and 2011 alleged bullying, while four per cent concerned sexual harassment.

In February 2013, Commissioner Bob Paulson told a House of Commons standing committee that he didn't believe there was systemic sexual harassment in the force but the RCMP was committed to bringing about positive change.

Sgro says a report outlining findings from the cross-country sessions will be presented to Parliament in September.

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