Canadian Female Firefighter Alleging Discrimination By Department Returns To Work

The 11-year veteran, who launched a sexual harassment complaint against the Burnaby fire department in July, will work on an interim basis as a fire prevention officer, operating from a city office at an undisclosed location.

Prokopetz has been on paid stress leave since last spring.

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has set aside three-and-a-half weeks to hear Prokopetz's complaint. In it, she has alleged she has been the butt of crude sexual jokes, had pornography placed on her bunk, been told she shouldn't apply for promotions, and called a ``dumb bitch'' by one of her superior officers.

She also alleged that Fire Chief John Stewart grabbed and kissed her against her will, but after an RCMP investigation, Crown prosecutors decided there were not sufficient grounds to lay criminal charges.

She says she will have no contact with members of the department other than a single supervisor, whom she describes as having ``been able to stay neutral through this entire ordeal.''

Her new posting is expected to last at least until April, when her complaint will be heard by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

Prokopetz, who holds the rank of captain, said she will be spending a lot of time in the community and working with a variety of agencies to help ensure that projects and existing structures meet fire-code standards and procedures.

Telephone calls to Stewart on Thursday were referred to Burnaby city manager Bob Moncur, who said it's good to have Prokopetz coming back to work.

"It doesn't get around the fact that we're still headed to a hearing before the Human Rights Tribunal in April, but at least she's back working for the city, which she says she wants to do, and what we want her to do,'' he said.

The case has reverberated throughout the 260-member fire department, which is almost entirely male.

Two male firefighters who have backed Prokopetz in her fight have also filed harassment complaints with the tribunal.

Senior officers, including Stewart, have already taken a mandatory sensitivity-training session, and the rest of the department has been ordered to attend similar half-day sessions.

Moncur said the sensitivity sessions will be complete for all members of the department by early February.

"This is something that in an all-male, or previously all-male, environment like the fire department was, we expected we would be doing on a regular basis as kind of a tune-up thing anyways,'' he said.

"I think it's more of a kind of reminder of the differences of having women in the workplace, which some of them weren't quite used to for most of their careers.''

Prokopetz hailed the sensitivity training as a positive step, but said more is needed.

Meetings between Prokopetz and the city of Burnaby last month failed to reach a settlement in advance of the tribunal hearing.

Prokopetz said she's received a lot of recognition and support within the local community.

"They're stopping me and saying, `You're that woman, good for you, keep going, and it's about time.

"It's just amazing and it's coming from individuals _ men, women _ and a lot of them have stories of their own, relaying circumstances, and they're looking at me as an advocate for human rights right now, and it's been really, really positive that way.''

Moncur said no disciplinary action is planned within the fire department, but did not rule out the possibility at a later date.

"I guess if there was determination out of the hearing that some member of the department had done something definitely wrong, then obviously we'd have to react to that,'' he said.

Related :

• Canadian Female Firefighters Want To Fight Fires, Not Harassment