OTTAWA—In a surprising move, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson publicly slammed the credibility of three of the force’s members who have stepped forward and alleged harassment within the Mounties.

The top Mountie appeared Monday at the last day of Senate hearings into the issue of harassment, and challenged the committee not to give a platform to disgruntled employees whom he painted as either having an agenda to unionize the force or not up to the job.

Paulson criticized Cpl. Roland Beaulieu who says he was prevented from travelling to testify before the committee by the RCMP.

“My understanding of what our doctors told him was that, essentially, if you can go to Ottawa to testify, surely to God you can get back to work in some capacity in British Columbia. The corporal has not been at work for quite a while,” Paulson told the committee. “He alleges that he got PTSD arising from workplace conflict and not getting promoted. However, he is a prolific critic of the RCMP.”

Beaulieu’s claim of interference is now being looked at by another Senate committee, and a Conservative senator tried to stop Paulson from going into details of the case.

But the RCMP chief was allowed to continue. He said Beaulieu is leader of an “upstart union” in B.C.

Paulson suggested Beaulieu has tried to cut a deal with the RCMP:

“Just last week, he sent me a request for $700,000 — or, alternatively, $500,000 tax free, as he put it — a couple of promotions and some extended pension benefits. In exchange, he says he will leave the force. The implicit message I get from this is ‘or else.’”

Paulson then singled out Peter Merrifield, who is suing the force after years of what he says was career retribution after he tried to seek the federal Conservative nomination for Barrie. Merrifield recently said publicly five Mounties he once worked with had faced allegations of sex harassment, sex assault or associating with prostitutes.

Paulson attacked Merrifield as an agitator who is “leading the drive in Ontario” for unionization within the non-unionized force, and for breaking RCMP rules by offering public comment on national security issues. Merrifield is president of the Mounted Police Association of Ontario, an organization that is advocating in the courts and within the force to unionize.

Paulson also suggested it was unfair for a 25-year-old harassment complaint such as that of Staff Sgt. Caroline O’Farrell — who has recently sued the RCMP in Ontario Superior Court — to be given public prominence.

O’Farrell alleges her fellow RCMP members of the Musical Ride so humiliated her in the 1980s, she suffered post-traumatic stress, a marriage breakdown and a doomed career in the force.

Paulson said the force responded to her complaints 25 years ago when they were first raised “by changing our policies and practices and disciplining the members. That was six commissioners ago.”

He said he met “personally with the staff sergeant, who has been promoted three times since this happened. I asked what I, what we, or what anyone could do to help her. She did not want our help.”

“She only handed me her statement of claim before it was filed, while telling me that if these circumstances around the musical ride ever became public, it would be embarrassing for the RCMP. She was right.”

Not all those identified by Paulson have testified before the committee, but their claims have grabbed headlines in the past two months as the Senate committee studies the issue.

Paulson, reading from an opening statement, said he is bringing changes to make sure the RCMP is a respectful workplace, but it could not be on the hook for people who are not up to the job.

“Let’s face it. Some people's ambitions exceed their abilities. I cannot lead a force that accommodates and seeks to compensate people for those unachieved ambitions. Policing is a very tough job. It is very rewarding but also very demanding. Frankly, it is not for everyone.”

He appeared to suggest not everyone who claims traumatic experiences within the force are legitimate cases of PTSD, but said “where it does occur” the RCMP is committed to work with them.

He said the majority of RCMP members are out in the field “busting their humps” to provide public safety to Canadian communities. And he added many have asked him to set the record straight, and provide “clarity” about the critics who are coming forward, and who are “not always the most meritorious of claimants.”

He said there may be “bona fide” victims of harassment in the RCMP, but noted it was a “challenge” for all large organizations, and appealed to the senators to support Bill C-42 as the tool he needs to streamline disciplinary processes within the RCMP.

“But for the love of Pete, we have to be open and fair minded when we hear about these issues and complaints so they are not misrepresented, or worse, misunderstood, and then adopted as something they are not. I cannot continually defend against outlandish claims that have not been tested or established, but are being put forward as gospel and representative of the modern workplace of the RCMP. They are not.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Liberal Sen. Grant Mitchell told Paulson he was stunned to hear him publicly criticize individuals who have complained of harassment, asking “what message does it send” others who may want to come forward and other RCMP managers dealing with such cases. He contrasted Paulson’s failure to commend those who’ve come forward with two retired military generals who testified before him that change can only come if taken seriously and led from the top.

Mitchell later told reporters it was “revealing” to hear Paulson single out individuals out for “ridicule and criticize them so aggressively in public,” saying it actually had the effect of underlining the message that “things are probably as bad” as some believe.

“I don’t think you can change culture in the RCMP if you don’t acknowledge” the issue and the courage of people who have brought it forward, Mitchell said.