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CSIS to probe B.C. office over sex assault, harassment allegations

Click to play video: '‘Absolutely devastating’: Trudeau reacts to reports of toxic culture at CSIS'
‘Absolutely devastating’: Trudeau reacts to reports of toxic culture at CSIS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called reports of allegations of a toxic workplace culture at CSIS, "absolutely devastating," and "unacceptable," which involved allegations of harassment and sexual assault at Canada's spy agency – Nov 30, 2023

Canada’s spy agency says it has launched a workplace assessment of its British Columbia office over “serious allegations” raised by whistleblowers who say they were sexually assaulted and harassed by a senior officer.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says the officer who was “implicated” in the allegations — made public in an investigation by The Canadian Press this week — was removed from the workplace.

Click to play video: 'Elenore Sturko tells her story about harassment in the RCMP and why it’s so important to protect female officers'
Elenore Sturko tells her story about harassment in the RCMP and why it’s so important to protect female officers

One officer says she was raped nine times in 2019 and 2020 by a senior colleague while in surveillance vehicles, and a second officer says she was later sexually assaulted by the same man despite bosses being warned not to pair him with young women.

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A statement from the director of CSIS David Vigneault says accusations of a “toxic workplace” cannot be taken lightly, and a Workplace Climate Assessment will take place in the B.C. office to resolve “potential barriers to a safe, healthy and respectful workplace.”

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The statement says that when the agency first heard about the allegations, it launched a third-party investigation “without delay.”

It says that for too long, a culture existed at the agency that allowed “inappropriate behaviours” to “fester.”

 

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