Toronto, ON (Canadian Press) - An ex-RCMP cadet who claimed he was rejected from the force because of discrimination should be admitted back into the training program and be compensated for his suffering.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in favour today of Ali Tahmourpour, a 33-year-old Muslim who dreams of being a Mountie. The Tribunal ordered the RCMP Tuesday to pay up for lost wages and pain and suffering.
The police force was also ordered to take steps to improve its policies related to visible minorities and beef up its cultural sensitivity training.
Tahmourpour says he was harassed as a cadet at a Mountie training academy in Regina in 1999.
He complained a superior officer made comments about a pendant he wore as a symbol of his faith.
He had completed just 14 of his 22 weeks of training before he was terminated.
14 responses so far ↓
1 speaking_my_mind // Apr 16, 2008 at 21:45
This just scratches the surface of the harassment that goes on behind that wall. Yeah, it is great he goes back to training, but what about the 10 years of lost wages and pension?
It is a shame one has to prove some politically incorrect motive to reverse the damage instead of having a system that directly punishes the harassment behavior itself. If he were a white male, he wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. The Canadian human rights tribunal only gets involved if there is a racial or sexual motive ect. If nobody mentions race and it cannot be proven, than one doesn’t have any case at all.
2 GetReal // Apr 17, 2008 at 01:17
If he cannot deal with a comment about something he is wearing he will not be able to deal with the dirt dished out by the miscreants he would face on the street. Half a million is the figure quoted by his lawyer, of taxpayer dollars. When and if he gets out of training put him in some place where real police work is done and see if he can take the slurs, innuendo, malice, and hostility. My guess is he won’t. Cant sue the john doe public for calling you a denigrating name. You have to learn how to deal with it. So he will slide through as he claims discrimination, harassment all through his so called career, riding on his religion or skin color and probably never doing any real trenchwork. Ronnie Johns said it best: “harden the F*** up.
3 speaking_my_mind // Apr 17, 2008 at 11:59
I agree with what GetReal says about not wanting to slide people through who are looking to for a free pass by playing the race card. However, as my point stated above he has to prove a racial motive for the human rights tribunal to even look at his case, and that pendant comment was just the avenue he needed to even get his case looked at.
Do I think people should be wearing religious items in uniforms? Absolutely not, and that goes for Sikhes and their turbans. However, if there was a good system to deal with legitimate harassment than he wouldn’t have to resort to using chicken hearted complaints such as pendants. If he were a WASP and heard a comment about his crucifix does anyone think the system would really care?
As with the harassment, for every name you get called in the workplace there is an iceburg full of B.S. that you can’t see below the surface. Spreading malicious rumors, being graded more harshly, singled out, taking things you say out of context, ostracizing, fear mongering, and ignoring. Setting someone up to fail. Yeah, you have to put up with crap from people on the street, but will some puke calling you a name railroad your career? Study after study compares the stress of workplace harassment to what rape victims feel. In fact harassed workers in a Swedish study suffered far more stress than did subway drivers who had run over suicidal people who had thrown themselves in front of a train.
The game is to make your life hell to the point that you show signs of stress. Then harassers take this normal reaction to an abnormal situation and slap a psychological label of insanity on that person. However, you would not be normal if you could withstand this. I think it was Calvin who said something to the effect that enormous pressure is put on people that nobody can withstand and people think it should be business as usual. You can only put up with so much.
People that are ignorant automatically label people suffering from harassment as weak or difficult to get along with. However, usually these are some of the same people that love nothing better than joining in on the lynch mob themselves. Courage in numbers is no courage at all.
4 Calvin Lawrence // Apr 17, 2008 at 12:57
I am submitting the following comments in relation to the responses regarding the ruling described in the “RCMP Watch” above article.
I am a 7th generation Black Canadian with 36 Years of policing; two long service/good conduct medals; a past
instructor at RCMP Depot Division; and have been presenting on Police/Race Relations issues since 1970.
White RCMP officers cannot use the Human Rights process on the grounds that they are white; but white male RCMP officers are not harassed or suffer discrimination from other white RCMP officers based on the SOLE FACT that they are white.
White males control the RCMP. I am not saying that all white males practice racist behavior. I am saying that some do. Hold each individual RCMP member accountable for all of their behavior, including racist behavior.
In the last few years there has been considerable documentation through books and handouts that there has been and still may be systemic and institutionalized racist behavior being conducted by some RCMP officers. Non-white RCMP officers can also discriminate; but non-white RCMP officers cannot institutionalize the racist behavior. This includes but is not limited to the training academy at Depot.
Sources: Book- You had Better be White by 6:00 AM by (RCMP) Cpl. Craig Smith
Book- Being Black in Scarlet by Cpl. Lynell Nolan (RCMP retired.)
On two separate occasions I was asked to assist in the resolving of racial incidents involving instructors/facilitators by the Commanding Officer of Depot and the Officer in Charge of the Applied Police Sciences Unit. This culminated in my addressing new instructors/ facilitators on the issues of race relations.
There seems to be a miss conceived perception that non-white recruits have to pass some sort of racial harassment test when entering the world of policing in the RCMP. If there is an objection by the recruit then they failed the test and must harden up or leave. I can assure you that non-white recruits have been tested long before arriving at Depot. The “race/can you take it” test is not and should not be required.
Was I being tested when I walked into my office and found a note in my basket saying “F—-off—–N——?
Was I being tested to see if I could take it when I had to walk by cubicles with pinups saying “Running N———Target”?
How many tests do we have to pass?
Police officers are a rough and tough group. We have to be to survive; but even a dog knows the difference between being kicked and being tripped over!
The tribunal made the decision based on sworn testimony.
The rules were followed and the decision rendered.
We now must live with it.
Calvin Lawrence
CGL Consulting
5 CstBentonFraser // Apr 17, 2008 at 13:07
“The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in favour today of Ali Tahmourpour, a 33-year-old Muslim who dreams of being a Mountie.”
I have always dreamed of being a Canadian astronaut.
Does that mean I have the constitutional right of being one?? With back pay?
If it does, I will demand that my shrunken head, and Wakani, Arutam, Muisak be allowed to accompany me along with religous beliefs into space.
Good ruling in this article, should make our lives a lot simpler and fairer for all assimilated Canadians.
Why is it Canadian bureaucrats hate Canadian culture so much?
6 GetReal // Apr 17, 2008 at 14:00
Beginning in elementary school, children have to be educated on how to handle bullies, threats, intimidation, name calling etc. Adult life is no different, only subtler and more hidden. If you allow yourself to be drawn into and affected by such behavior, it will only intensify. The abusers win, relish the victories and escalate. Short of giving a good thrashing behind the building you have to use your intelligence to prevail.
By not giving in to such juvenile tactics, and doing an outstanding job at your vocation, you rise above such rabble. Great work gets noticed no matter where you are. People without such mental fortitude will be victims in one way or another all their life.
7 speaking_my_mind // Apr 17, 2008 at 18:35
I agree with what Calvin is trying to say. However, by focusing on the motive you are focusing on the problem not the solution.
Calvin here is a quote you made in the Halifax Daily News. http://www.geocities.com/Baja/7635/Federalpublicservice/rcmp_racism/lawrence_kimberarticle.html
“These days, says Lawrence, no one mentions race. Those in charge “will simply not answer e-mails, phone calls, neglect to give me positions and limit official documentation on my abilities, accomplishments and knowledge.”
My point is that there is no point on focusing on punishing a wrong motive (racism) if people are smart enough to not reveal it. It is a dead end street. In my opinion the behavior you listed above should be grounds for punishment regardless of the motive. If you focus on the behavior it is easier to prove. If no one mentions race than how does one really know that it was racially motivated? It could also be that a given worker, worked harder than them and were making them look lazy. Harassment is still harassment regardless of what the motive is.
GetReal many people that get victimized do try to rise above it. Studies show that a good many of the people who get targeted are high performers who are a threat and are exceptional employees. The attackers are usually coworkers that are ambitious but would rather climb over someone than work for it. It is easier to drag someone down than it is to go up to their level.
As far as not giving in to juvenile tactics it is easier said than done, and the people who play it are without honor. The harder you work and the better the job you do the more the professional jealousy will intensify.
If you try to talk to these people, their little clique will ignore you. When you walk away and do your own thing they label you introverted and asocial. It is not called setting someone up to fail for nothing. There is strength in numbers and they rig the game to make it look like you are the one who has the problem. You can be the highest flyer and they will always find something wrong with your work and in numbers destroy your credibility and pressure the supervisors to get rid of you. You talk about using intelligence to prevail, well that didn’t work for Chief Inspector/Dr. Kim Rossmo with Vancouver PD. This was the most intelligent cop in Canada and this little game got his butt flung out the door. Luckily he won his case against the department, but the gang still got rid of him.
I never judge a man until I have walked a mile in his shoes.
8 Calvin Lawrence // Apr 17, 2008 at 23:49
Thank you for your comments. Racist behavior is established, maintained, advanced, and refined.
If an RCMP officer has a belief that alleged racist behavior is being conducted against him the following exchange usually takes place.
The alleged RCMP victim officer is told that since there is no mention of race that he is not being discriminated against because of his race.
The response to this statement by the alleged victim officer should be:
“Thank you very much for telling me that, however since we are on the topic of my negative treatment, could you please tell me why I am being treated in this negative covert manner?”
That question will never be answered with certainty and clearly. Why? The individual member is never held accountable. They are never demanded to explain there actions or non-actions. In fact the RCMP member may be promoted which only reinforces the negative behavior.
All of this conflict could be put to an end once and for all if only the RCMP individual was required to explain his or her behavior regarding the complaint. This is what happened in the Cadets’ case. Why did it have to go to the Human Right’s Commission? Why are these complaints not being investigated by the internal RCMP process? The Human Rights Commission will not even accept a complaint until the internal RCMP investigations are exhausted.
Once investigated in a timely, accurate, and open as possible manner by the RCMP internal process the truth should be told no matter who it helps and who it hurts.
One of the most accurate and profound articles I reviewed on this site was the explanation of the five steps of “bullying”(mobbing). I have added the results of bullying.
ARTICLE:
“What does bullying do to my health? Bullying causes injury to health and makes you ill. How many of these symptoms do you have”?
• constant high levels of stress and anxiety
• frequent illness such as viral infections especially flu and glandular fever, colds, coughs, chest, ear, nose and throat infections (stress plays havoc with your immune system)
• aches and pains in the joints and muscles with no obvious cause; also back pain with no obvious cause and which won’t go away or respond to treatment
• headaches and migraines
• tiredness, exhaustion, constant fatigue
• sleeplessness, nightmares, waking early, waking up more tired than when you went to bed
• flashbacks and replays, obsessiveness, can’t get the bullying out of your mind
• irritable bowel syndrome
• skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, athlete’s foot, ulcers, shingles, urticaria
• poor concentration, can’t concentrate on anything for long
• bad or intermittently-functioning memory, forgetfulness, especially with trivial day-to-day things
• sweating, trembling, shaking, palpitations, panic attacks
• tearfulness, bursting into tears regularly and over trivial things
• uncharacteristic irritability and angry outbursts
• hyper vigilance (feels like but is not paranoia), being constantly on edge
• hypersensitivity, fragility, isolation, withdrawal
• reactive depression, a feeling of woebegoneness, lethargy, hopelessness, anger, futility and more
• shattered self-confidence, low self-worth, low self-esteem, loss of self-love, etc
Do you really believe that you can simply “rise above the rabble” keeping in mind the above injury to health. That way of thinking is the logic of absurdity.
Calvin Lawrence
CGL Consulting
9 speaking_my_mind // Apr 18, 2008 at 08:44
I think Calvin his a good point here when he discussed why the human rights tribunal had to be brought in. The reason it did was because there is a complete break down in the RCMP’s desire to properly investigate and punish true harassment.
What was the whole situation with this cadet? None of us really know because we are only reading a fraction of it in the newspaper. Maybe he was weak, maybe he wasn’t.
I see what GetReal is saying. I think it is absurd when people hear some dirty jokes and then make all these harassment allegations and claims of stress. However, if your character and dignity is attacked day, in and day out through obvious and covert methods than it is a different matter.
What people don’t understand is that when you are attacked in a workplace style bullying and mobbing setting it triggers your “Flight or Fight” response. These are some very primitive reactions we have that have been left over from the caveman days. The stress reactions Calvin is talking about are very real. If the work environment is toxic enough it can turn very stress hearty people into nervous wrecks.
The problem in the force is that the magic solution to toxic work environments is to send the person to the “head shrinker”. This is a much easier road for the supervisor and is often thought of as some kind of magic bullet. But, I will ask you this. If you are drinking a poison water supply and go to the doctor will what he does really matter if you continue to or are forced to drink that toxic water? NO! Not at all! The same applies to work environments.
10 GetReal // Apr 18, 2008 at 13:20
When you raise someone from the stockroom and put him in the boardroom using shortcuts and non approved channels, you get what happened to Rossmo. The very treatment you decry in reverse. It is no wonder there was resentment. The most intelligent cop in Canada? Please.
Nobody said dealing with the issue of bullying or harassment is easy. If it was there would be none. It takes fortitude, intelligence, and perseverance.
If you are not prepared to deal with it, do not expect unqualified assistance. I am not impressed with the work of some of the Human Rights tribunals, or their decisions. They are not infallible.
If the situation is intolerable and the particular employer heinous in solving such issues, I would not be expending any of my energy there. The best message for employers is that people are in exodus and you are unable to hire. Change or die.
So what do you attribute your distinguished career to Mr. Lawrence? Were you a victim who rose above or how did you handle the “systemic racism” for 36 years? All in the RCMP? Why did you continue with such an organization if it was thusly constructed?
If you believe the list of illnesses listed by Mr. Lawrence, there is nothing wrong in seeking professional help (at the employers expense I presume?) to assist you with the issues. It should not be looked down upon. It should be viewed as another tool in your personal arsenal.
11 speaking_my_mind // Apr 18, 2008 at 19:17
I would hardly compare Dr. Kim Rossmo to someone who works in the stock room. His geographic profiling was respected all over the world, and Vancouver wanted to keep him and his expertise there. To do this they had to trump the numerous offers that other organizations from Canada, Britain and the United States. As far as him being the most intelligent cop, well that is subjective. However, show me your Phd and profiling system and then I will take your opinion of this man with some value.
At the top of the list of things that I decry is maltreatment of a person. Yes, there are tons of clowns who get their ticket paved because they fit into a target group. Do I think it is right? No. Will I resent some of them? Probably. Will I reduce myself and my integrity to force them out of their job through spineless and gutless harassment. ABSOLUTELY NOT! The end doesn’t justify the means here and the fact that GetReal seems to be advocating the dehumanization of others is shameful to say the least.
As far as what GetReal says in respect to not expending any energy at an employer who permits intolerable situations is that why should a gang of thugs be able to destroy everything you worked for, your seniority, your rank, your pension and the job you enjoy?
The list of illnesses Calvin lists is 100% accurate. I BELIEVE EVERY WORD OF IT! He has read about it, he has lived it. That is good enough for me. I will take his opinion any day over someone who drives in the back seat.
12 Calvin Lawrence // Apr 19, 2008 at 00:22
In answer to your questions Mr. GetReal I attribute my distinguished career to never compromising my major principles to gain advantage; trying to do the best that I can for as long as I can; and holding those individuals RCMP officers who have acted unethically accountable.
I spent 28 years in the RCMP and 8 plus years with Halifax City Police Department.
I never left the RCMP because I loved police work. My father fought for this country so that I may have an opportunity to earn a living doing what I earned the right to do. Thirty-six years with an immaculate police record is what I achieved and is a tribute to him.
As far as suffering from racist behavior by individual RCMP members; the below passage should sum it up.
“When a man fiends that it is his destiny to suffer, he will have to accept his destiny as his task; his single and unique task. He will have to acknowledge the fact that even in suffering he is unique and alone in the universe. No one can relieve him of his suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way in which he bears his burden.
If suffering is avoidable the meaningful thing to do is remove its cause for unnecessary suffering is masochistic rather than heroic. If on the other hand, one cannot change a situation that causes his suffering he can still change his attitude”.
Calvin Lawrence
CGL Consulting
13 GetReal // Apr 19, 2008 at 15:23
The analogy of the stockroom is accurate. I’m sorry you cannot discern the metaphor. There was no disrespect to the abilities of Rossmo. You are quick to take offense and color the opinion to suit your own victim profile.
To put is more simply for you, you get resistance for procedures undertaken outside the established parameters without ‘buy in’ from the membership. There are ways to accomplish this without creating dissension.
Mr. Lawrence underscores my point vis a vis discrimination by his first paragraph, which is exactly what I said. Fortitude, perseverance, and use of intelligence.
Obviously certain individuals were not able to affect the longevity or success of his career. So it was individuals and not the organization that were responsible. The fact that some organizations could improve dealing with such activity is not news to anyone. The world is not perfect yet so we still have some work to do. If you are not part of the solution……
Although I would have preferred his own words his quote at the end will suffice.
Advocate dehumanizing? You may wish to avail yourself of the many post secondary courses dealing with the English language, interpretation, and its usage.
14 babyblu // Apr 23, 2008 at 16:39
Very good discussion here and I’ve enjoyed reading it. I just want to say how sad I think our working world (including our education system) is if we can allow our fellow coworkers to carry out racist comments, notes, bullying, etc. I am only one person within this vast globe who would absolutely, 100%, stand up for someone being discriminated against, should it happen in my presence. I am a “white” person with mixed heritage and nothing bothers me more than witnessing racism in action. I also have no issues calling it out face-to-face when I see it.
As for this Cadet, I wonder if he’ll be slotted back in at week 14 or if he’ll have to start all over again.
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