One of the women who helped lead a successful lawsuit against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is now urging politicians of all stripes to swiftly pass a bill reforming the national police force's watchdog.

"The RCMP is falling apart," said Janet Merlo. "If it doesn't get fixed soon, I think it's going to lose so many good members."

Merlo has spent more than a decade fighting for change within the RCMP.

After working as an officer in British Columbia for nearly 20 years, her doctor advised her to go on medical leave in 2010 when the bullying and harassment she faced became intolerable.

She and her co-plaintiff, Linda Davidson, took the force to court, ultimately earning an apology from the RCMP and a settlement of $125 million for more than 2,300 women who faced discrimination, harassment, bullying and even sexual assault during their time as RCMP officers.

Since then Merlo said she's continued to hear from Mounties about persistent sexual harassment and bullying despite promises to do better.

She's now putting herself back in the spotlight, "to try to push the government to do something about the RCMP because they've done nothing, basically, to change the problems in it."

Bill C-20 introduced in May

In May Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino introduced a bill that would expand the RCMP watchdog to also take on travellers, immigration detainees and others who feel Canada's border agency has mistreated them.

If passed, Bill C-20 would also require the heads of the RCMP...

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