The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has launched a third-party workplace assessment of its British Columbia office after serious allegations of sexual assault, bullying and intimidation were recently made public. Whistleblowers raised allegations involving a senior officer who has been removed from the workplace.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the allegations are “devastating” and “absolutely unacceptable” and that the government was following up “very directly” on these issues.
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. A pervasive toxic culture of abuse has been documented within CSIS. In 2017, five CSIS staff in the Toronto region sued the Canadian government for $35 million, claiming they had experienced racism, sexism and harassment. One of the plaintiffs in that case later said the agency’s internal complains process was “completely ineffective.”
