Four officers from the British Columbia CSIS physical surveillance unit have come forward to reveal a toxic workplace culture of bullying, harassment, and sexual assault. The officers, two of whom are women, describe a pattern of abuse and victimization within the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). One female officer, referred to as “Jane Doe” in an anonymized lawsuit, alleges that she was repeatedly raped by a senior CSIS colleague. Another officer supports Doe’s claims, stating that they were sexually assaulted as well. Both women say they were warned by a fellow officer not to partner with the senior officer, but their complaints were ignored by supervisors.
The officers claim that the workplace culture within the BC CSIS physical surveillance unit allowed such behavior to go unchecked. They describe a system that fails to address complaints, leaving victims vulnerable to retaliation and without access to external recourse. The women also point to a flawed internal complaint process and a probationary period for rookies that makes them susceptible to mistreatment by senior officers.
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This is not the first time the CSIS has faced criticism for its workplace culture. In 2017, five anonymous CSIS workers in the Toronto region sued the Canadian government for racism, sexism, and harassment. The current officers hope that by coming forward, they can protect others and bring about change within the organization.
CSIS Director David Vigneault acknowledged the existence of harassment and fear of reprisal within the organization in December 2020. The CSIS has responded to the allegations, stating that they take any allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously and are committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all employees. However, the officers argue that CSIS should be held accountable and that they should not be able to hide behind secrecy and lack of documentation.
The officers’ lawsuits are ongoing, and they continue to fear legal and professional repercussions or retaliation from CSIS if they reveal their identities. They are calling for a thorough investigation into the allegations and for changes to be made within the organization to prevent future incidents of abuse.
