Association Gets Limited Status to Participate in RCMP’s Appeal of Direction

An OHS direction was issued to the RCMP following an investigation into an incident that resulted in the shooting death of a constable and gunshot wounds to an auxiliary constable. The violations on which the direction was based mainly relate to the RCMP’s telecommunication system. The RCMP appealed the direction and the Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada applied to be added as a party to the appeal. The OHS Tribunal’s appeals officer noted that the Association isn’t an employer, union or bargaining agent. But because some form of participation by the Association would serve a useful purpose and assist the decision-maker in the determination of the central issues raised by the appeal, the officer concluded that it would serve the interest of justice for the Association to have limited standing as an intervener in the appeal [Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Mounted Police Professional Association of Canada, [2016] OHSTC 10, July 5, 2016].