Taxpayers on the hook for judgment

LETTERS

Regarding the article in the Lethbridge Herald on March 2 “RCMP fined for harassment,” I know the title of the article is accurate in as much as, that is what the judge said. What the judgment should have said was “taxpayers fined $141,000” because let’s face it, that is who is paying the fine.

I don’t understand it. How every time some person or persons employed by the government mismanages people or processes, the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill. My first question: are the RCMP officers that bullied Sgt. Peter Merrifield for over seven years being held accountable to pay for some of the damages? More important, have these officers been disciplined with time off without pay or what seems more appropriate, fired for just cause with no compensation?

Once a bully always a bully. I must wonder if these same bullies are not some of the same officers who caused some of the sexual harassment to female officers that cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. These occurrences continue to happen with no apparent consequences to the perpetrators, only to the taxpayers.

Since it seems that both the government and its employees are immune from paying out on lawsuits, we need a better plan. I suggest that every employee at every level of government be required to pay into an insurance policy that would cover off all lawsuits. The individual premium would be based on your job responsibilities and salary level.

Managers and supervisors would naturally pay more because they are in positions to create more risk. Also, like how WCB raises premiums based on the number of claims submitted, the same process could be levied against a level of government or department; the more claims the higher the premiums.

I think the Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, the RCMP and the Department of Indigenous and Northern Affairs would no doubt be paying the highest premiums. Barrie Orich

Lethbridge