Suzanne Fournier (Vancouver Province) – RCMP Cpl. Catherine Galliford, the former calm, professional voice and face of the Missing Women Task Force, said Tuesday she knows her evidence will be “explosive” when she appears at the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.
Galliford, 44, is slated to testify at the inquiry in January, but says she won’t be testifying for the RCMP, but rather on behalf of the victims.
In an interview, and in a 115-page statement given to the RCMP, Galliford said top Mounties had “enough evidence for a search warrant” of serial killer Robert Pickton’s farm in 1999. From 1999 to 2002 14 women were brutally murdered by Pickton, a fact that haunts Galliford.
She says she will testify that both RCMP and VPD officers, even after the Missing Women Task Force was formed in 2001, engaged in sexual liaisons and harassment, watched porn and left work early “to go drinking and partying.”
“The saddest part of this is that the women who were killed were the most vulnerable people in our society, other than children,” she said.
“I will not be testifying on behalf of the RCMP at the inquiry,” she said, saying her first concern is for people whose loved ones didn’t have to die.
“Tell the families,” said Galliford, her voice breaking, in an interview with The Province on Tuesday. “I’ve got their back.”
Galliford’s statement to the RCMP contains serious allegations that have not been proven.
Galliford, who has been off work for four years with post-traumatic stress disorder, is agoraphobic and reluctant to leave home, but is taking Veterans Affairs’ medical aid, and is “finally healing” and plans to go to law school.
Galliford said she was constantly sexually harassed and bullied by some RCMP officers, although she emphasizes that she also worked with “many fine police officers, both men and women, who cared deeply about missing women.”
Galliford agrees with the conclusions of Peel, Ont., Regional Police Chief Jennifer Evans, who has reported to the inquiry that top RCMP and VPD officers on the missing women case displayed “a lack of leadership and commitment.”
When very junior RCMP Const. Nathan Wells finally obtained a firearms search warrant on Feb. 5, 2002, for the Pickton farm, Galliford said, she confronted a top RCMP officer, telling him, “You’ve known this since 1999.”
The officer, who is also slated to testify, ignored her, she said.
“He is a misogynist, which is probably why he blew off the missing women investigation,” said Galliford, noting he got rid of other female officers.
One of the women he “bumped out” had developed a “brilliant protocol” to identify the women’s remains through DNA obtained from Pap smears, she said.
Perhaps the most chilling thing that happened to her, Galliford said, came after the gruesome details had begun to emerge about how Pickton butchered women and scattered their remains at his Port Coquitlam farm or dumped them at an East Vancouver rendering plant, West Coast Reduction.
A group of RCMP personnel were, she said, constantly “making jokes about sex toys,” laughing and giving each other “fist bumps.”
The officers, Galliford alleged, wanted to tell her about “their fantasy.”
“They wanted to see Willie Pickton escape from prison, track me down and strip me naked, string me up on a meat hook and gut me like a pig,” said Galliford, who also recounted the episode in her formal statement to RCMP.
Galliford said one officer did not join in and also was horrified. “He just looked at me, like, ‘Holy crap.’ He didn’t last, either.”
Galliford said she does not want to publicly name the officers to avoid legal repercussions and to help focus on the needs of the victims’ families to finally achieve justice.
Lilliane Beaudoin, whose sister, Dianne Rock, was confined, beaten and raped twice at the Pickton farm before Pickton finally murdered her in October 2001, predicts Galliford “is going to blow this inquiry wide open.”
“My sister would be alive today, along with 13 other women, if the RCMP and VPD cared enough about women going missing from the Downtown Eastside,” said a visibly upset Beaudoin as she read Galliford’s report late Tuesday.
“The real story of why the police let Pickton keep killing our sisters and daughters, when they had evidence about him almost murdering a sex worker at his farm back in 1997, is going to come out, for sure. We are waiting.”
At least 18 women were killed by Pickton after 1998. Vancouver police Deputy Chief Doug LePard has told the Missing Women Inquiry that by then police had “solid, corroborating” eyewitness and informant evidence that Pickton was killing women.
The inquiry is looking into how the VPD failed to stop Pickton from abducting women from 1997 until 2002, when Coquitlam RCMP finally arrested Pickton.
[Source]
Medical files are not available to anyone but involved physicians in the RCMP employ or elsewhere such as specialists.
DT
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In a perfect world or organization that would be an accurate statement. This is not a perfect world and the RCMP is not a perfect organization. None of us know what is true or not true until we have formal testimony and an in depth investigation.
To suggest that RCMP personal information is never shared with other members who should not have it is not being realistic.
When a member makes a request for their medical file it is vetted by a regular member. There has always been a question how much information of a medical nature should be released to RCMP members who are assessing their back to work process, after being on sick leave. They are not specialists.
This is not to say that medical information is being inappropriately shared. I am saying that information is out there in difference places for legitimate reasons.
Medical information is sometimes shared by large organizations inappropriately.
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Example:
Privacy breach confirmed in DND medical files – Health – CBC Newswww.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2010/…/dnd-privacy-breach-finn.htmlYou +1′d this publicly. Undo
25 Dec 2010 – An official with the federal Privacy Commissioner’s Office confirms there was an inadvertent privacy breach in the medical files of several …
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The political answer is that medical information is only shared with the appropriate people who have a right to have it. After all police officers took an oath. But there is also a zero tolerance of harassment in the RCMP. Hows that working?
Accusations have been made. We don’t know the facts. Don’t jump to conclusions. As I have said in the past; Do a timely, accurate, open as possible investigation; then tell the truth NO MATTER WHO IT HELPS OR WHO IT HURTS.
Calvin Lawrence
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All assuming that each and every allegation is true. Her latest assertion that the member assistance program leaked her medical files to the RCMP is perplexing. Medical files are not available to anyone but involved physicians in the RCMP employ or elsewhere such as specialists. Since when does an internal informal employee assistance program even have access to the personal medical file of an officer, let alone be able to leak it?
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I would like to comment on Deepthroat who is completely baffled with this situation. I will try not to confuse any one and add to the complexity.
The RCMP Act has a section that puts an obligation to a regular and civilian member in subordination to report to his superior.
This is why as a DSRR Sub-Rep, I did not favor members of the Force to work or to be in charge of a Health and Safety Clinic and this includes the MEAP Program as these members get promoted to Staffing and Personnel and /or Internal Investigations if you refer to the carreer path of some of those members.
The challenges for any victim of psycholgical violence is having the burden of persuasion. The victim has the onus to prove his or her case by the standard of a “preponderance of probabilities”.
As to leaked medical information from RCMP Regional Health and Safety Clinics (as there are no more RCMP Divisional Medical Clinics). There are managed by an NCO I/C who is in charge of the personnel including the HSO.
I was the C Divisional Sup-Rep of District 1(which included the H&S Clinic civilian and regular members SSR representation)
All I can say here is that I may recall and refer to one of my CLC complaint alleging that regular members had direct access to medical information of members of the Force, and I had submitted among the evidence sworned statements with affidavits of a witness who suffered the consequences.
I can reasonnably state that any other witnessess were intimmidated, one was subordinated as scared so much that she called my wife to insist that I do not contact her at the clinic for fear of reprisals.
This alleged complaint that I made was investigated by C Division Health and Safety Commitee whose chair is a Commissionned Officer and of course the RCMP Internals which I gladly provided a written declaration with sworn affidavit statements (I never heard from them since).
At the same time, I decided to forward my complaint to PSIC (Public Sector Integrity Canada) 60 Queen Street, 7th Floor, Ottawa and I just got an email last monday that they will send me a letter in couple days as to the result of my request to review the Integrity Commissioner decision which I appealed following the last scandal that made the news. I hope this will help understand.
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Vancouver Sun ” A national hotline will be set up on Monday for female RCMP officers and others affected by sexual harassment or violence at the hands of police.
The phone service will connect a caller from anywhere in Canada to “confidential emotional support,” ensure she is safe and refer her to “legal remedies including class-action lawyers,” said Angela Marie MacDougall of Battered Women’s Support Services. MacDougall said the hotline, which has been available to all women, will be available for female RCMP members during business hours at 1-855-687-1868.
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The Mission, Vision,and Values; The RCMP Act; The Div. Rep Process; Women’s Advisory groups; a New Commissioner; The Politicians,(especially women). It appears all for not. A hotline process is what the harassment of Women in the RCMP has come to.
This in the end result of lack of leadership, and accountability. Or maybe it is just the beginning.
Calvin Lawrence
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What a great initiative.
I would like to thank Calvin for sharing this good information and may I add on this support list as it appears to be a CAPRA solution.
This proposed solution comes from our Community and could benefit the RCMP for keepin their human capital in the Force (human ressources is beginning to be an oxymoron) as good members just quit the Force for a better quality of environment.
Please clic for more information :
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ccaps-spcca/capra-eng.htm
Using their own CAPRA model, The Commissioner of the RCMP could ask a special budget project to the RCMP Foundation (RCMPF) Charitable Registration Number (891132540 RR0001) which currently use the RCMP web site and (RCMP Office Support System ROSS infrastructure.
The RCMP Foundation (formerly the Mounted Police Foundation) was formed as an independent arms length organization in 1994 with the purpose of supporting the work of our dedicated RCMP members across Canada who tirelessly and voluntarily develop and coordinate programs with local community groups in an effort to enhance the lives of Canada’s youth at risk.
I am convinced that there are senior members in the field, (outside the Divisional Staff Relation (DSRR) system which mandate is limited to liaise with the Commissioner) that would volunteer to help other members in this project.
Many of the programs supported by the Foundation are run and good success stories are accomplished.
To date, the RCMP Foundation has provided almost $3 million to over 500 community initiatives.
The Foundation, using the RCMP Office Support System ROSS infrastructure could be setting up a 24\7 for all regular/civilian members (male or female) of the RCMP affected by sexual harassment or psychological violence on their work site.
CAPRA was learning tool that was originally designed to increase the understanding of the RCMP Community Policing Problem Solving Model, CAPRA (C =Clients, A =Acquire/Analyse Information, P =Partnerships, R =Response, A =Assessment of Action taken). It was intended to promote discussion in small groups of employees, clients and partners of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The entire RCMP promotion exams were based on the CAPRA model for junior and senior non-commission officer rank only!
CAPRA could easely apply to our own members « work environment » that involve challenges with psycholgical violence policy, front-line work difficulties, police supervisory management issues.
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I don’t know Catherine Galliford. But as a member of the RCMP I’m horrified and saddened at what she’s had to go through. Sadly very little of what she’s revealed so far has come as a surprise. As someone who is gradually learning to live with (note that I do not say getting over) PTSD and depression brought on by the actions/inactions of several RCMP “leaders” I have some small idea of what she’s going through. I don’t think I would have the guts to do what she’s doing now and I can’t think of words adequate to express my respect for her determination, in the face of what she has already endured and what she will certainly endure from the RCMP, to tell her story – both on behalf of herself (and by extension all RCMP employees in similar situations) and on behalf of the missing and murdered women and their families. I hope that she’ll be able to find some satisfaction in knowing that she’s acting honestly, bravely and with integrity – qualities the RCMP claims on paper to value.
I agree with Calvin that the “Pickton fantasy” members should be named but I honestly doubt that naming them would achieve anything but denials and more abuse for Galliford. The sort of people who say such things tend to form packs to boost their courage. If challenged they’ll simply resort to backing each other up and hiding behind the ubiquitous “I don’t recall” and “I was only kidding”. In a perfect world these cretins and their little “fantasies” would be restricted to appearances in ViCLAS booklets. In this world they draw a paychecks for the RCMP.
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Catherine Galliford is a True Mountie she demonstrated her courage to do the Right thing.
The questions here are :
Who was the senior member at the scene of this incident ?
What were the actions, decisions or omissions that the chain of command took as part of management responsabilities during this scheduled duty?
Will the present system in place in the Force support this member as a witness?
Does the present system in place (Grievances, Harassment complaint process, Alternate Dispute Resolution process (ADR) and Member, Employee Assistance Program (MEAP) and the Regional Psychologist in the Force support this member as a victim of psychological violence at her workplace?
This sad experience affected her personal health and she still suffers from it the rest of her life.
And there will be more and more victims… Unless someone decide to apply the recommendations of so many reports… And take action, now!
Can a reasonable person imagine the stress level of those members that go to work and face this violence from their colleages at the work place?
The Force is responsible for the member’s health and safety under the Canada Labor Code (CLC).
The challenge here is that any present and/or futur member facing daily these psychological violence is is at risks as the present system does not support any of those victims!
Why?
The CLC and the Public Service Staff Relations Act have both been amended since the Force lost their case as the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of this decision ([2001] N.S.J. No. 623), and the Supreme Court denied leave to appeal ([2001] S.C.C.A. No. 173).
Subsection 123(2) of the CLC now provides that its Part II on health and safety applies to the federal public administration and to persons employed in the federal public administration to the extent provided under Part 3 of the new PSLRA.
Section 239 of the PSLRA (Part 3) provides as follows:
239. In this Part, “public service” has the same meaning as in subsection 11(1) of the Financial Administration Act.
And finally, subsection 11(1) of the Financial Administration Act provides as follows:”public service” means the several positions in or under:
. . .
(b) the other portions of the federal public administration named in Schedule IV;
. . .
[The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is one of the organizations named in Schedule IV.]
Thus, for the purpose of the application of Part II of the CLC, we have to conclude that The Public Service Labour Relations Board (PSLRB) which is PUBLIC independent quasi-judicial tribunal has the authority to hear complaints from ALL employees and regular members of the RCMP on occupational health and safety under Part 3 of the PSLRA and under the Financial Administration Act and its Schedule IV, which makes the Treasury Board the employer for this purpose NOT the Commissioner of the RCMP!
In fact Treasury Board will appoint on of their to gun lawyer to defend the Force! In support of my assertions, anyone may refer to the decision 2007 PSLRB 52 which is hard to find :
http://pslrb-crtfp.gc.ca/decisions/fulltext/2007-52_e.asp
As to the so-called “Pickton fantasy” members, their alleged behavior displayed is not appropriate for police duties
All members present during this regrettable incident should be ordered get a special medical exam by the Officer in charge and receive appropriate treatment if needed or appropriate remedy if they are accountable and redeemable under the RCMP Act.
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Indeed Calvin. Under the RCMP Act, she could be charged if she refuses to name names. Why would you not? She claims due to litigation. Are they contained in the unsworn she submitted? In the interest of justice and the wild un-sworn claims, there needs to be a full accounting. I find the escalating claims unsettling and would like to see sworn statements, from everyone including Galliford. No person, if true, should be able to hide behind anonymity, or un-sworn allegations from either side.
One should also examine her claim that a warrant could have been obtained earlier, as we do not know her expertise in the application for search warrants, (being only a media liaison for years), an independent party should also review that.
The unfortunate part of all of this is that the PPSC will negotiate a settlement replete with gag order, with no admissions of guilt on either side, regardless of the true facts. Reputations will not be cleansed nor fouled, as is the usual PPSC modus operendi.
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I am sure that the information being alleged is repulsive to all. It appears that the people who need the most help were denied that help and ridiculed for even asking.
I sincerely hope that the RCMP individuals who are alleged to have acted in this manner be named. “RCMP members said” or “the RCMP” is not good enough.
Honest, hardworking RCMP members and the public demands it.
Calvin Lawrence
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