The widow of a Kelowna, B.C., Mountie is suing the province for undisclosed amount, claiming her husband was left vulnerable when unsafely exposed to dangerous materials at a variety of work sites.
Courtney Jones was married to Michael John Harding, who died Oct. 4, 2019 at the age of 41 of a glioblastoma and diffuse astrocytic glioma of the brain.
In the civil suit filed on behalf of Jones and the three children she had with Harding, the glioblastoma is attributed to Harding’s service with the RCMP and, according to the claim, “a result of his exposure to hazardous conditions.”
Harding joined the RCMP in 2000 at just 22 years old and worked throughout the Lower Mainland until he was promoted to sergeant in Kelowna in 2018, according to an obituary posted online.
“During Harding’s employment he was exposed to hazardous physical and gaseous conditions existing at crime scene investigations,” the suit alleges.
“(He) was not provided adequate personal protective equipment, including masks, or protective clothing; nor was he provided with proper training for entering crime scenes with hazardous conditions, processing items seized, or effective decontamination thereafter.”
The RCMP is also accused of failing to provide decontamination procedures and education; failing to monitor Harding’s health, even though it was aware of given the conditions he was exposed to and failing to teach him the proper and safe investigative procedure for crime scene investigations involving fire and drug production operations.
As a result of these actions, Jones said she’s suffered damages of, among others, reduced pension contributions by Harding from the time when he became disabled until his date of death, and a litany of costs incurred by the loss of a partner.
A loss of love, training, care, guidance and companionship of a father and children is also listed among the damages.
The suit names B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, as the party responsible for the RCMP’s actions, along with three unknown members of the RCMP who Jones claims were responsible for implementing safety protocols.
The RCMP has yet to file a response and the details of the case have yet to be proven.