Dozens of women are set to take part in a potential class-action lawsuit against the RCMP, for alleged harassment and bullying they claim to have suffered while serving on the national police force.
The number of participants is rising daily, as more and more women feel compelled to speak out.
"We're quite sure that many, many more will come forward," lawyer Nancy Erickson told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview on Wednesday.
She said current and former RCMP members from across Canada are involved. The statement of claim for the lawsuit is now being written.
Erickson is one of several Ontario lawyers working on the lawsuit, along with a law firm in Vancouver.
It is not yet clear if the lawsuit will be filed in a federal or provincial court, but Erickson said the organizing lawyers intend to move forward "very soon."
Asked if the lawsuit will be filed before the New Year, Erickson said: "We're hopeful."
The expected lawsuit follows a growing number of cases of women who have come forward in recent weeks with stories about harassment and bullying from their fellow Mounties.
The first to speak out was Cpl. Catherine Galliford, a well-known RCMP spokesperson who alleges that she has been traumatized by recurring sexual harassment from male colleagues.
The disturbing reports have raised the ire of newly installed RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson who has said tackling the harassment issue is his top priority.
