Senator Kenny: “The RCMP was a white man’s club for a long time”

That was part of Ottawa Senator Colin Kenny‘s take on the ongoing harassment and reputational issues currently bedeviling the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). In an opinion piece published by the Ottawa Citizen today, the Senator posited that: “When it comes to harassment at the RCMP, sex is only the tip of the iceberg.”

Canada’s national police force is currently facing real serious issues. In March, Janet Merlo, a 19-year with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), filed a lawsuit against the force. In May, Corporal Catherine Galliford filed a claim of being sexually harassed by her male superiors during her 16 year career with the RCMP. This week, hundreds of current and former female Mounties from across Canada launched a class-action lawsuit alleging harassment within the ranks of the RCMP. More details from this CBC News report.

Senator Kenny further suggests:

Harassment at the RCMP rears its head in many other forms: bullying, exclusion, contempt, ridicule, and retribution — to name a few. Female members are prime targets in all these categories, which isn’t exactly surprising, given the RCMP’s long-standing macho culture. Visible minorities get more than their unfair share of contempt as well. No surprise here either — the RCMP was a white man’s club for a long time.

Complete opinion: RCMP harassment claims the tip of the iceberg.