Court set to OK deal in harassment class action by female RCMP employees
Approval of a settlement in a class action by sexually harassed Mounties is expected Wednesday, paving the way for tens of millions of dollars to start flowing to the women.
During the hearing, lawyers for the plaintiffs will take Federal Court Judge Ann Marie McDonald through details of the settlement, which she certified as a class action in January.
“This is the big step,” Megan McPhee, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, said in an interview Tuesday. “This is the step to implement the settlement.”
McPhee said it’s important the judge understand what’s been agreed to, and the benefits of the deal for the women — all current and former female RCMP employees going back to 1974.
One key part of the agreement is that women can make a claim for compensation without the RCMP knowing who they are. The confidentiality provision is unusual, McPhee said.
“Unlike a normal case where a defendant defends against an individual claim, in this case under the proposed settlement, the RCMP doesn’t have a right of response and in fact doesn’t find out who a claimant is,” McPhee said. “It means that class members who are still serving can make a claim and not fear reprisals.”
A year ago, the two sides reached a tentative deal to compensate the women, with details announced in October, when RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson apologized for having failed the victims. The federal government also said it was setting aside at least $100 million to settle the claims.
While the Mounties have estimated that as many as 20,000 women could be affected, it now appears that far fewer — but still potentially several thousand — will actually come forward and make a claim. Just shy of 1,600 women have opted out — meaning they will make no claim under the settlement.
The settlement creates six categories of claimants. Those who suffered the most egregious abuse would be eligible for up to $220,000. In some cases, family members of the RCMP employees would also be eligible for cash.