Court Refuses to Pull Plug on RCMP Employees’ $1.1 Billion Harassment Lawsuit

A group of RCMP employees who claim they were harassed and bullied at work filed a $1.1 billion class action against their employer for ‘systemic negligence’ in allowing the behaviour to continue for decades. In 2020, the federal court ruled that the employees could bring the lawsuit as a class action. The RCMP appealed, contending that the employees had to pursue their complaints via the internal grievance system rather than a lawsuit. But the federal appeal court found that the lower court’s finding that the RCMP’s internal resolution processes were beset with widespread, system problems was reasonable and refused to overturn it. Result: Barring Supreme Court reversal, the employees will get the chance to prove their claims at trial [Canada v. Greenwood, 2021 FCA 186 (CanLII), September 21, 2021].