Koskie Minsky LLP Brings Canadian Armed Forces Gender-Based Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Class Action

TORONTO, Dec. 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Koskie Minsky LLP in Toronto, Ontario has commenced a class action against the Attorney General of Canada on behalf of current and former female members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

The claim alleges that the Canadian Armed Forces is poisoned by a discriminatory and sexualized culture that condones sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination towards women.

The sexualized and discriminatory culture in the Canadian Armed Forces is characterized by highly degrading expressions that reference women's bodies, sexual jokes, innuendos, discriminatory comments with respect to the abilities of women, as well as sexual harassment and assault.  The policies in place are ineffective and the Canadian Armed Forces has failed to take the necessary steps to prevent this conduct.  Furthermore, the claim alleges that the Canadian Armed Forces has failed to ensure the advancement and promotion of women in all roles.

The claim seeks $300 million in damages for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of the class members' rights under section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which states that every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.

"For too long, women in the Canadian Armed Forces have been denigrated and abused," says Jonathan Ptak, lead counsel at Koskie Minsky LLP, "and this case can start to right these wrongs of the past."

If you are a current or former female member of the Canadian Armed Forces, please call 1(888) 502-7455, visit www.kmlaw.ca/militaryassaultclassaction or email [e-mail].

Koskie Minsky LLP, based in Toronto, is one of Canada's foremost class action, pension, trade union, and litigation firms. Its class actions group has been a leader in class actions since 1992 and has prosecuted many of the leading cases in the area. Koskie Minsky LLP was counsel to the survivors of former residents of Huronia Regional Centre and 14 other residential facilities for people with disabilities against the Province of Ontario, wherein the Province agreed to pay survivors over $103.6 million and to provide an apology to former residents for the harm they sustained. Koskie Minsky LLP was also counsel in Cloud v. Canada, the first Indian residential schools class action certified in Canada, which resulted in a $4 billion pan-Canadian settlement.

SOURCE Koskie Minsky LLP

For further information: Jonathan Ptak, Koskie Minsky LLP, [phone], [e-mail]