B.C. Appeal Court Hears Police Class-Action Bid

In Vancouver, a lawyer representing a group of female police officers urged British Columbia's Court of Appeal on Thursday to allow their proposed class-action lawsuit alleging sex discrimination and harassment to proceed collectively in court rather than through individual labour arbitrations.

The officers claim they faced harassment, bullying, and gender discrimination while serving in municipal police forces across B.C. Their lawsuit names several municipalities and police boards as defendants. The case has not yet been certified as a class proceeding.

Kyle Bienvenu, the officers' lawyer, argued before a panel of appeal court justices that the allegations involve systemic issues warranting a unified court hearing. "It involves collective allegations of discrimination caused by a system that is designed to fail," Bienvenu said. He contended the claims extend beyond typical employment conditions outlined in collective agreements, aiming to address a policing culture that enables sexual harassment and discrimination against women.

The dispute stems from a B.C. Supreme Court ruling last year, which determined the court lacked jurisdiction over certain claims because they arise...