AN ABUSE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY - SLAPP SUITS BY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

The Waterloo Region District School Board has done it. Likely at least one of our municipalities have tried it. Now the Waterloo Region Police Board are doing it. A class action lawsuit was filed against them a couple of years back regarding their treatment of female police officers. The blue wall really is only about the boys in blue. The allegations in the lawsuit describe various despicable actions by male police officers, generally those of higher ranks although not exclusively.

Kelly Donovan, a former police officer, has challenged them and taken them to court. Her allegations have been supported by many other female officers as well as by some senior male officers. Despite this the Police Board have filed a suit against Kelly Donovan
alleging that she has broken her resignation agreement. It also appears that the Police Board are using some sort of legal loophole to get around recent amendments (2015) to Ontario's Libel laws. This is shameful behaviour when public institutions break the laws in the first place by harassing and discriminating against employees and then turn around and use public funds for over the top legal SLAPP suits. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation.

Instead of a long overdue housecleaning at the top, we the taxpayers are facing the spectre of those in charge hiding behind both taxpayers money and the courts in order for them to misbehave with impunity. This has to end. Senior police management along with the Police Services Board and our local regional politicians are debasing the reputations of many fine and professional rank and file police officers by their circle the wagons and bury their heads in the sand approach to this long standing issue.