CFIA president and VP failed to properly investigate harassment: integrity commissioner
The president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and its vice president of human resources failed to take appropriate action to deal fairly and thoroughly with serious harassment complaints, according to an investigation by the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.
In a report released Thursday, commissioner Joe Friday found that former president Dr. Bruce Archibald and Gérard Étienne committed gross mismanagement in response to three harassment complaints made against a senior executive at the CFIA dating back to 2014.
That behaviour included yelling and inappropriate comments by the executive, who reported directly to Archibald, according to Friday's report. The focus of the investigation was on how Archibald and Étienne, then vice president of human resources, handled those complaints by involving the senior executive in discussions, and not investigating the complaints in a meaningful way.
"In the public sector workplace, harassment complaints must be taken seriously, especially when made against a senior executive occupying a position of significant responsibility and authority over employees," wrote Friday. "The situation described in this case report involved three serious harassment complaints, yet no due diligence was shown."
The investigation involved interviewing 33 witness and reviewing emails and other correspondence.
In his report, Friday outlines how — after complaints were made about the executive's behaviour and similar concerns were raised by other CFIA executives — Étienne undertook a series of meetings and discussions during January and February of 2015 that ultimately didn't result in a formal investigation into the complaints.
Instead, Étienne talked to the complainants and a labour relations officer about making an "action plan" to address the behaviour. He also met with the senior executive to advise of the incoming complaints, and that the individual not retaliate against the complainants.
President's response 'highly problematic'
Friday also notes there was no formal memorandum or written analysis pertaining to the complaints, which Étienne believed wasn't necessary.
"Where three formal harassment complaints against a senior member of management are made, and this, following discussions that Mr. Étienne had with employees about their concerns with this person's management style and behaviour, I have no difficulty concluding that a much greater degree of scrutiny and due diligence should have been exercised in this case," Friday wrote.
All the while, CFIA president Archibald requested to remain at "arm's length" from any discussions about the situation "because he could be called upon later to act as decision-maker in the harassment complaints," wrote Friday, but "it is his absence of oversight of the process that is highly problematic."
Friday adds "that did not absolve the former president of his overall responsibility to ensure that due diligence be shown to the process and to the complainants."
His report recommends CFIA take appropriate actions to ensure the concerns raised over the original complaints are addressed, as well as conduct a review of harassment policies to ensure staff know their rights. It also recommends determining early on whether such complaints should be reviewed internally or by an independent external body.
Archibald has since retired, while Étienne was promoted to vice president of operations in the spring of 2015.
