Kristen Zanoni  |  September 28, 2020

Category: Discrimination

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RCMP at protest regarding the RCMP mental health crisis class action lawsuit filed

A class action lawsuit filed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers alleged breaches of common law duties due to the organization’s lack of adequate mental health services. The RCMP mental health crisis class action lawsuit asserts that the RCMP’s ability to serve and protect Canadians can be diminished because of the lack of mental health support within the organization. This can also lead to increased conflict in the workplace, high turnover rates, deteriorating psychological states, and suicidal inclinations. 

Officers Reveal RCMP Mental Health Crises

The RCMP mental health class action lawsuit was filed on Sept. 16, 2020. The plaintiffs, Garrett Moore, Kelly McQuade, David Combden, and Graham Walsh, are suing the Attorney General of Canada because they have been subjected to declining mental health, operational stress injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and they allegedly have not been supported with mental or occupational health services by their employer, the RCMP. 

The Crown is accused of failing to provide sufficient measures for psychological health and safety to prevent occurrences of workplace mental health injuries and illnesses. According to the class action lawsuit Canada, RCMP is responsible for creating and maintaining an environment of mental and physical health for its employees, or “Mounties” as they are called, yet this has not been the case. 

According to the operational stress class action lawsuit, RCMP has not addressed the complicated needs of Mounties, nor have they created a strategy to identify or guide employees with mental health issues. Mounties have not been given adequate support when returning from mental health sick leave, leading to extended harm. Operational stress injuries and a lack of mental health support have reportedly had an unequivocal effect on the police officers and their families. 

A recent Nunavut RCMP shooting left an Inuk man dead. When an investigation commenced, there was silence from five officers and 10 people associated with RCMP over what the victim was doing over why officers fired. There has been ongoing tension between Inuit and RCMP and about six investigations over Mounties’ behaviour. 

“It looks like there’s something systematic here,” Anthony Doob, a professor emeritus of criminology at the University of Toronto reportedly told CBC.

Mental Health Stigmas Spark Discrimination

The alleged lack of proper training, providing mental health services in a timely manner and implementing adequate rehabilitation has propelled the Mounties into suffering from mental health diagnoses and operational stress injuries. Officers who do seek help for their mental health are shunned as being weak or unsuitable for their positions, according to the RCMP class action lawsuit. 

On top of the alleged mental health crisis within the RCMP, the officers who are suffering from psychological trauma and operational stress are enduring discrimination over mental health stigmas.

The stigma and discrimination within the RCMP are allegedly perpetuated by the organization’s lack of willful mental health measures, silencing the advocacy of mental health, and using language that denounces the seriousness of mental health and operational stress.RCMP officer crying in the car regarding the RCMP mental health class action lawsuit filed

This culture of silence allegedly creates serious disadvantages in proper examination and treatment of mental health problems. The RCMP mental health class action lawsuit says that the failure to admit there is a mental health crisis is resulting in Mounties suffering in silence. It is alleged that when officers seek mental health support, they are retaliated against and alienated by leadership and peers.

CBC News reported lawyer Kate Boyle, who is representing the RCMP mental health class action lawsuit, said, “Each of these representative plaintiffs experienced discriminatory comments or this kind of culture of silence — suffer on your own and continue to push through — when they were experiencing and suffering from operational stress injuries while servicing Nunavut.”

Mounties Seek Justice and Damages

The Crown is alleged to have breached common law duties to uphold strong mental and operational health standards, breaching a duty of care to the Class Members, and violated section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms regarding the discrimination of the Class Members. Due to these breaches, the RCMP have faced harm, suffering, humiliation, and loss of earnings and opportunities, 

The RCMP operational stress class action lawsuit claims that the Crown is liable for these breaches and owes the Class Members general damages for pain and suffering, undisclosed amounts of special damages, punitive damages, and other damages ruled by the Court.

The RCMP mental health crisis class action is also seeking support for the families of the officers who have suffered from mental health issues arising from work, with the goal of implementing detection and treatment for struggling Mounties.

What do you think about the RCMP mental health class action lawsuit’s allegations? Do you think mental health care should be a standard practice in all rigorous fields? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

The plaintiffs are represented by Raymon F. Wagner and Kate Boyle of Wagners law firm.

The RCMP Mental Health Crisis Class Action Lawsuit is Garrett Moore, et al., v. The Attorney General of Canada, Case No. T-1105-20, in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Canada.

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One thought on Class Action Lawsuit Alleges a ‘Mental Health Crisis’ in RCMP

  1. John Clerkin says:

    I witnessed the suffering and the silence the male and female RCMP members were forced to endure, as well as the discrimination and the treatment they experienced from other members that belittled their attempts to confront their situation and their tormentors.
    That being said, is there any effort being made to confront that same behaviour and attitude displayed toward public servants not included in the recent Merlo-Davidson class action lawsuit ?
    I refer to male public servants and the behavioural changes and mental suffering experienced by them during and after employment in the RCMP. Or are they not being considered ?
    Thank you for your time.

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