City has shown no remorse for violating whistleblower law LETTERS/OPINION
guilty to save taxpayers the legal costs of a trial, inferring it was not really guilty. However, the court had found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the city was guilty as charged on an agreed statement of facts. The three retaliating managers and munic- ipal councilors have offered no apologies to Shay or to the other employees of the lodge for violating the
Shay wanted to properly address resident abuse but Shay never wanted to experi- ence the dangers of becoming a whistle blower. In fact, she suffered so badly from the internal bullying, discipline and ha- rassment by her managers that she devel- oped a serious, stress-induced medical condition. She is still unable to work be-
Ontario’s Ministry of Health did not react to Shay’s pleas for help. She had to launch her own civil action for reinstatement, and only thereafter did the ministry in- voke its powers to charge the employer. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Attorney General have acknowl- edged to Shay that they have learned from this case and that more can be done to give proper effect to the intention of the legislation to employees in the workplace, to ensure reporting of abuse. Shay believes the Ministry must ensure long-term care home operators are edu- cated to prevent abuse from ever happen- ing. However, if abuse does happen, and if it is reported in good faith, provincial authorities must further ensure there is no retaliation towards the employees of the home. If there is retaliation, the province must be accessible and responsive to charge and prosecute retaliation, as it did in Shay’s case. If there has been a convic- tion for retaliation, again the Ministry must ensure the retaliation stops. Bullies should not be working in long-term care homes, at any level. Shay hopes the Ministry’s willingness to prosecute and the conviction will support more members of the profession in ad- dressing resident abuse. She hopes that members will to step forward and make their knowledge, fears and suggestions known to the task force. Fay Brunning is a lawyer at Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP (www.sgmlaw.com) in Ottawa.
The following opinion piece was writ- ten for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario by lawyer Fay Brunning who represented Diane Shay in her historic whistle-blowing case against the city.
On October 26, 2011, the City of Cornwall was convicted of ille- gally retaliating against Diane Shay, a regis- tered nurse who went to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care in 2008 to report elder abuse at Glen Stor Dun Lodge. In the months that followed,
cause her condition has re- lapsed and worsened. She does not believe any nurse should have to go through what she has endured for over three years. So, what has been learned? The media and the public in Cornwall have been demand- ing answers. Two of the three retaliating managers are no longer employed by the City, although the terms of their re- spective departures has not been disclosed to the public. Shay hopes that this situa- tion will be studied by the Ministry of Health and oper-
whistleblower protections under both the legislation and the City’s own policies. There was no apology to the public, nor to the residents of the lodge. In November, Shay asked Ontario’s Ministry of Health to appoint an external moni- tor to provide ongoing whistleblower protection be- cause the City’s chief admin- istrative officer, one of the retaliating managers, misled the public and the media when he was quoted in print as stating that resident abuse
The three retaliating managers and municipal councilors have offered no apologies to Shay or to the other employees of the lodge for violating the whistleblower protections under both the legislation and the City’s own policies.
Fay Brunning
To the editor: I am troubled by the widespread com- plaints of election fraud to obstruct the electoral process and to suppress the op- position vote in many ridings across Canada in the May 2, 2011 federal elec- tion. Voter suppression by directing opposition voters to non-existent polling stations and harassing opposition voters so that they don’t vote is an unacceptable practice that violates the Canada Elections Act and is il- legal. The maximum penalty upon convic- tion is a $5,000 fine, five years in jail, or both. We should be encouraging more people to vote in our democracy not discourage them by fraudulent phone calls. This serious attack on our democratic right to vote requires a full public inquiry to find out who is responsible for this election fraud to prevent people from voting. People and campaigns responsible for these voter suppression tactics should be Shay was bullied, disciplined and harassed by her managers. In September 2009, she was notified that after 17 years with an un- blemished record, her employment was terminated, allegedly due to a restructur- ing. The City of Cornwall, which operates Glen Stor Dun Lodge, was found guilty of retaliating against Shay for complying with the law and her professional and ethi- cal obligations to report abuse. It was or- dered to pay a fine of $15,000, plus a 25 per cent victim surcharge. This is the first time Ontario’s Ministry of Health has prose- cuted an operator of a long-term care home. Despite being convicted, the City of Corn- wall showed no remorse for having vio- lated the law. In fact, it claimed in its first press release to the public that it pleaded
had not been found. In addition to Lodge management again not recognizing the res- ident abuse, that statement also inferred that Shay stirred up a fuss about nothing. The CAO had to retract his statement be- cause the ministry confirmed to Shay and to the media that its investigation of the in- cident confirmed resident abuse. The Ministry declined to appoint a monitor, claiming it does not have authority to do so.
ators of long term care homes so that it can be avoided in the future. Shay be- lieves whistle blower legal protections must be more than just words on paper. Nurses on the front lines have to believe the legal system will immediately enforce their right to legal protections, without any allowance for bullying, harassment or termination of employment. Justice de- layed is justice denied. When the retalia- tion was happening in 2008 and 2009,
City resident troubled by federal election fraud complaints
held to account and charged accordingly. Otherwise, we will be looking at an even lower voter turnout in the next federal elec- tion in 2015.
Avis de demande de permis d'alcool
Les établissements suivants ont présenté une demande à la Commission des alcools et des jeux de l’Ontario pour un permis de vente d’alcool, conformément à la Loi sur les permis d’alcool : Demande de permis de vente d’alcool DENNY’S RESTAURANT 20382 OLD HIGHWAY 2, UNIT 200 LANCASTER (zone intérieure) Présenter des observations jusqu’au : 28 mars 2012 LONG SAULT MARINA RESTAURANT 15968 HWY 2 LONG SAULT (zone intérieure et en plein air) Présenter des observations jusqu’au : 13 mars 2012 Tout résident de la municipalité qui désire présenter des observations relativement à une demande peut le faire par écrit à la Commission. Veuillez inscrire votre nom, adresse et numéro de téléphone. Si une pétition est présentée à la Commission, veuillez indiquer le nom de la personne à contacter. Remarque : La CAJO remet à l’auteur d’une demande de permis une copie de toute objection reçue. Les objections anonymes ne sont pas prises en considération. Les renseignements personnels sont recueillis aux termes de la Loi sur les permis d’alcool, dans le but premier de déterminer l’admissibilité à un permis de vente d’alcool. Une copie de toutes les objections reçues est remise à l’auteur de la demande. Ces renseignements peuvent également être divulgés aux termes de la Loi sur l’accès à l’information et la protection de la vie privée. Les questions relatives à la collecte de renseignements doivent être adressées à la ou au chef de la Direction de l’inscription et de la délivrance des permis, Commission des alcools et des jeux de l’Ontario, à l’adresse postale ou électronique ou aux numéros de téléphone ci-dessous. Les observations doivent être envoyées à : Direction de l’inscription et de la délivrance des permis, Commission des alcools et des jeux de l’Ontario, 90, rue Sheppard Est, bureau 200, Toronto, ON M2N 0A4. Tél. : 416 326-8700 ou 1 800 522-2876 (interurbains sans frais en Ontario). Téléc. : 416 326-5555. Courriel : licensing@agco.on.ca For information on this advertisement in English, please write to: Licensing and Registration, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, 90 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M2N 0A4. Tel: 416-326-8700 OR Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-522-2876. Fax: 416-326-5555. E-mail: licensing@agco.on.ca
Brian Lynch, Cornwall
March 16 - April 1
The
By Norm Foster
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Johnson’s Antiques — CORNWALL —
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