Spy agency employees reveal shocking allegations of toxic workplace culture

CTV National News: Spy agency shocker Allegations that CSIS is a workplace rife with racism and homophobia are prompting calls for an investigation. Omar Sachedina reports.

Five employees of Canada’s spy agency allege in a blockbuster $35-million lawsuit that they have been blocked from promotions, abused and sickened by a workplace poisoned by racism, homophobia and anti-Muslim discrimination.

The allegations against the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency are made by veterans of the organization in a court document obtained by CTV News. None of the allegations has been proven in court.

“The employees in this case are all dedicated, hard-working, high-performing, long-term employees of CSIS,” reads the statement of claim filed July 13 in a Toronto court. “Despite this, they have each been harassed and discriminated against by CSIS management and colleagues, on the basis of religion, race, ethnic and/or national origin, gender and/or sexual orientation.”

The lawsuit claims the plaintiffs’ Charter rights have been violated and that CSIS knew of the widespread abuse and discrimination in its organization and was negligent in failing to protect its employees from harm.

“CSIS is a unique organization, entrusted with extraordinary and intrusive investigative powers for the purposes of investigating threats to the security of Canada. It operates under a veil of secrecy which has been used by senior managers to harass and intimidate the employees with apparent impunity. Those managers have harmed the employees, and CSIS has utterly failed them.”

The lawsuit alleges complaints of abuse and harassment were ignored and that the plaintiffs “have been judged, mocked, humiliated, held back and ignored time and again, resulting in stress and embarrassment, depression and anxiety and ultimately loss of income and opportunities.”

CSIS’s director David Vigneault issued a statement in response to the allegations Friday.

“The Canadian Security Intelligence Service takes any allegation of inappropriate behaviour very seriously. I believe strongly in leading an organization where every employee promotes a work environment which is free from harassment and conducive to the equitable treatment of all individuals. CSIS employees are proud to be entrusted to carry out the very important work that we do. The Service prides itself on being a top employer and creating a healthy and respectful workplace of inclusion, where diversity is representative of our strength,” he wrote.

“I would like to reinforce that, as an organization, CSIS does not tolerate harassment, discrimination or bullying under any circumstances. The Service’s values and ethics must be reflected in all of our behaviours and decision-making, and reflect the CSIS Employee Code of Conduct principles of respect for democracy, respect for people, integrity, stewardship, and professional excellence. Employees are always encouraged to report any real, potential or perceived incidents of harassment, without fear of reprisal, to their supervisor or senior management.”

The agency said it would offer no further comment on the matter because it’s before the courts. CSIS has 30 days to file a statement of defence if it intends to fight the lawsuit.

CSIS is governed by an “enclave of privileged individuals who considered themselves above the law,” charges the statement of claim.

“CSIS management has not only allowed this culture to thrive, it has actively inculcated this culture, openly rejecting and mocking respectful workplace norms. This tone and approach has been dictated from the top, and adopted throughout the organization, resulting in an environment in which employees recognize that upward mobility and career success can be achieved through rejecting respectful workplace conduct and visibly aligning with the misconduct of management. This racist, sexist, homophobic and discriminatory behavior has become the accepted culture and norm.”

The statement alleges that for many managers “the rules simply do not apply” and that those who don’t openly engage in the alleged behavior “tend to look the other way.”

“Attempts to raise concerns or seek corrective action have been met with derision, threats of reprisals, and further harm. There is simply no meaningful check on the harassment, intimidation and abuse within CSIS.”

All the plaintiffs and their managers and colleagues referenced in the statement of claim are identified only by pseudonyms.

The first set of allegations have been put forward by a gay man with a Muslim partner and 15 years of service, who says he was forced to take an extended sick leave. He is referred to as Alex and is an intelligence officer who works in the Toronto CSIS office. His is described as a “highly decorated” officer with numerous awards for his service.

Alex alleges that:

Another of the complainants, referred to as Bahira, is an intelligence officer in Ottawa who is a Muslim woman of African descent with 15 years’ service. She alleges:

A third complainant, referred to as Cemal, is an analyst in the Toronto office who is described as Muslim of Turkish descent with 22 years at CSIS. He claims:

Emran, a Moroccan-born analyst in Toronto with 12 years of experience, alleges:

The fifth complainant, an intelligence officer in Toronto referred to as Dina and the first black woman at CSIS, has been with the agency 16 years. She alleges that she regularly endured “snide remarks that she was only promoted because she is a black woman” and also faced verbal abuse from managers, colleagues and subordinates.

“She has been isolated and ostracized, ridiculed and shamed, all without foundation, and as part of a pattern of harassment that a resentful few set in motion,” reads the statement of claim.

She alleges her harassment complaint was not investigated because managers feared that it, together with Alex’s complaint, would show systemic problems in the Toronto office.

She has been on sick leave since January, with symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression.

At one point, an internal harassment investigation into a harassment complaint by Alex sought comments from anonymous employees. One employee stated, according to the document, that “the public would be shocked about this if they only knew; we keep our own secrets.”

Another said, according to the statement of claim: “Big fear here is reprisals; people’s lives are at risk because of drunken decisions.”

The Canadian Human Rights Commission found in 2014 that visible minorities were under-represented at CSIS, faced barriers to advancement and did not receive requisite training for management positions. The report also found there were no visible minorities in senior management positions.

With files from CTV's Omar Sachedina