Heather Polischuk, Regina, SK (Regina Leader-Post) – An RCMP constable is worried her harassment complaint against a former superior officer is being ignored by her employer, perhaps due to what she termed the RCMP’s “old boys’ club.”
Laura Lehne (nee Affie) previously launched both a formal complaint through the RCMP and a lawsuit, naming the Attorney General of Canada, the provincial justice department and her former supervisor, Cpl. Tim Korman. The statement of claim filed in March 2007 alleges Korman harassed her over the summer of 2004 while the two were posted at the Buffalo Narrows RCMP detachment in northern Saskatchewan.
She asked for and was granted a transfer to Turnor Lake where, as a satellite office of the Buffalo Narrows detachment, she continued to work under Korman’s supervision. She alleges during that time Korman “jeopardized her personal safety while on duty” by “instructing officers not to provide Const. Affie with back-up assistance,” including in potentially dangerous situations.
Allegations contained in a statement of claim have not been proven in court. On Monday, lawyers for the Attorney General of Canada and Korman said they do not believe statements of defence were filed in relation to this file, as they are waiting on further action by Lehne.
But Lehne, now on unpaid leave from the force, said she feels she is continually running up against roadblocks in her efforts to have her complaint heard, despite having gone through the proper channels.
“It’s been nothing but a nightmare …,” she said. “I followed the policy, I followed every proper procedure, dealt with every proper step I was supposed to do, and I’m the only one that’s now seen as, not necessarily a bad guy, but just someone that they’d rather not have dealt with.”
Among steps Lehne took was a formal complaint against Korman in October 2005, an unsuccessful attempt to have the Human Rights Commission hear her complaint, and — under terms of the Pension Act forwarded to her lawyer by the Attorney General’s counsel — an application and subsequent appeal for medical pension in order to continue with her lawsuit against the Attorney General. However, she now worries the decision to grant her pension may mean the RCMP might think they no longer have to compensate her.
The case against Korman is currently slated for RCMP service court in April, but Lehne said she also wants to see something done about the length of time it took the Saskatchewan RCMP to do something.
“It’s just been nothing but red tape and a nightmare,” Lehne said, noting it’s now been more than four years since the alleged harassment took place. When asked why she thinks it’s taken so long, she replied, “I would never have assumed before that it was still the old boys’ club, but it is. A lot of the members out there that are from our generation, they’re great, they’ve dealt with women no problem, it’s not an issue, they don’t even see it as a gender issue. But it’s the older officers, it’s the ones in charge, the ones in the headquarters building that they still see it, and I believe they couldn’t believe that my situation was as bad as it was.”
Saskatchewan RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Carole Raymond said she understands Lehne’s frustration but disagrees the constable’s concerns are being deliberately ignored.
“I don’t think it’s shoved under the carpet,” Raymond said. “Personally I wouldn’t say that. I think what has to happen, there are lots of steps to go through and any system can become incumbent and labour intensive because it goes from one basket to the other basket and it takes time. And that time seems like a huge length of time because it’s affecting you personally every day.”
Raymond admitted the RCMP is not perfect and there are members who have some things to learn, but she added the force has been changing for the better.
“Generally it’s not that bad, and I’ve seen it from a personal point of view,” she said. “Is it perfect? No. Should we make improvements? Of course. But it’s workable … They’ve taken some pretty positive steps, the force has, in trying to have members bring their concerns to management. Those doors are opening and that’s a huge, huge improvement.”
Lehne said she doesn’t regret making her complaint, although she can understand why some people don’t pursue harassment complaints.
“I would do it again but now knowing timelines and more of the legal ramifications, I would have acted way sooner and I guess just gone to a lawyer and everyone way quicker than I had, but I just assumed that the RCMP were doing something,” she said.
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