Status of Women Committee on Feb. 28th, 2013

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

It's very good to hear that. It took a tremendous amount of courage for many of those women to get to where they got to, to where they had to go public.

I very much appreciated, Deputy Commissioner Callens, your swift response to those things, because I would like your daughter and mine to want to be part of the RCMP, because I think it says.... We all have a tremendous amount of respect, and I think what you're doing now is starting to restore that respect, but it needs to spread throughout the country.

For a young woman in rural Alberta being harassed by her commanding officer, who is also the divisional commander, under this system that you're putting in place today, how does she gain the confidence that she can go somewhere other than an independent body to lodge her complaint without putting her own career in serious jeopardy? I use her as an example.

[D/Commr Craig J. Callens]

I'm not familiar with that. I take it that is a—

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

No, I'm using it as a hypothetical situation for a young woman, for a young officer in rural Alberta. How would she access your system and have that level of trust and confidence that clearly you want to instill there?

[D/Commr Craig J. Callens]

The respectful workplace advisers have been selected based on their personal integrity and their commitment to ensuring that our organization is one that is free of harassment and free of the type of retribution that some fear would occur if they were to come forward. I think the first step would be an opportunity to consult with and receive assistance from the respectful workplace adviser.

In my division, I have met with all of the respectful workplace advisers. They know from me personally that in the event they do not have confidence in bringing something forward to their line officer, their officer in charge, or their district officer, they need to have the confidence that they can bring that to me directly. I will ensure that the appropriate follow-up is conducted and that those who present themselves as victims of harassment or sexual harassment can rest assured that I will ensure they are not subject to unfair treatment.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Could you elaborate a bit more on the electronic confidential reporting system aspect? Again using the example of the young officer in Alberta, if she were to use your electronic reporting system that you have referred to, it would give her a confidential avenue. Could you elaborate on how you might see that?

Maybe Inspector Bradley would elaborate a bit on that.

[Insp Carol Bradley]

Yes, certainly. Thank you for the question.

The electronic confidential reporting form comes directly to the respectful workplace team. It comes to me, and there are two other staff members—

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

You have one minute.

[Insp Carol Bradley]

In the event that an employee were to express a concern via the confidential electronic reporting form, I would review that. I would be able to take that forward to the commanding officer. In your example, if it were in regard to the commanding officer, I would be able to take that forward outside that chain of command, if that were the case.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Is it going to be one of your responsibilities, Inspector Bradley, to deal with the electronic reporting system?

[Insp Carol Bradley]

Yes. As we launch this, it will be a new system and, I suppose, a pilot to see how much access there is and how much our employees are using it. Yes, those will come directly to the respectful workplace team, which consists of me and two other employees.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

That's wonderful.

The issue—

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

Ms. Sgro, unfortunately I am going to have to interrupt you. Your time is up.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Thank you very much, both of you.

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

I will now move to a government member.

Ms. James, you have five minutes.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Welcome, Deputy Commissioner Callens and Inspector Bradley.

I want to continue with the line of questioning regarding the confidential reporting system. As a result of all the surveys and investigations, why do you think this is particularly necessary or important?

[Insp Carol Bradley]

One of the things we heard from our employees, from the various sources of information, was that reporting could be a challenge to them. There was a perception by some employees, a perception or a reality, that coming forward was difficult. They did fear that in their immediate work environment or their immediate chain of command perhaps it wouldn't be dealt with appropriately, or that there might be some reprisal against them in the immediate environment.

It was very important for us, as a starting point, to provide options for employees so they would feel confident and safe in bringing issues of workplace conflict forward. The respectful workplace advisers were something we initiated very quickly. We wanted to get something out there that employees could see, access, and use as quickly as possible. The confidential electronic reporting form is another option that may meet the needs of some other employees. This is to try to provide a broad range of options for employees to take that step.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you very much.

It was my understanding that it was already launched as a pilot project in B.C. Is that correct, or has the confidential reporting system not been launched yet?

[Insp Carol Bradley]

We have had our respectful workplace advisers in place since November. The electronic reporting system will go live April 1.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you. That was my misunderstanding. I thought it was already launched.

With regard to the workplace advisers, earlier in your testimony in questioning you indicated that there have been a number of people already trained as advisers or investigators. You mentioned 100 and then some more coming up. It's great that you've done that training down the ranks within the RCMP. You've enabled people to be better informed and to help other employees.

I'm wondering if you can speak to the effects that has had already. Have you seen those advisers or investigators being used? I wonder if you could speak to what you see happening so far, what the trend is. Is it useful or does it have to go back and be rethought?

[D/Commr Craig J. Callens]

The increased investigative capacity we have realized with the 100 newly trained investigators has allowed us to move through these allegations much more quickly than we were ever able to before.

The respectful workplace advisers have been utilized on approximately 40 occasions already and have assisted us significantly in dealing, at the earliest possible time, with what has often been workplace conflict and in resolving the conflict before it has become a harassing situation.

I really see the respectful workplace advisers as a proactive capacity for us here.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you. I'm asking if you have seen results. You're saying what you expect it to do, but have you seen results so far? Has it proven to be successful? I know it's only been a short couple of months, but has it proven to be successful so far, in the early preliminary review?

[D/Commr Craig J. Callens]

Yes, it has.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Thank you.

Going back to some of the questions that—

[The Chair, NDP, Marie-Claude Morin]

You have one minute.

[Roxanne James, Conservative, Scarborough Centre, ON]

I'll be very quick.

My colleague Ms. O'Neill Gordon spoke about the gender and respect action plan and the decision to start tracking and investigating and being able to have this historical data. She also mentioned that there was a decision to centralize the oversight and administration of complaints in national headquarters. I believe that falls directly under the office of the commissioner. Commissioner Paulson was here the other day.

There has to be someone in charge. At some point we have to designate someone as being in charge, someone to oversee anything, regardless of whether it's in the RCMP or elsewhere. Do you see ensuring that these complaints and investigations are dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner as being a benefit?