Jian Ghomeshi Fired from Q

Michael Hardner · April 17, 2015

In addition to our conclusion that managers had actual knowledge and awareness of aspects of
Mr. Ghomeshi's problematic behaviour, we have also concluded that those charged with

managing Mr. Ghomeshi and making decisions about his employment at the CBC "ought to have

known" more about his workplace behaviour, and in particular, as it pertained to his breaches of

the Behavioural Standard.

Indeed, in reviewing the CBC's oversight of Mr. Ghomeshi, we have identified at least three

separate and distinct missed opportunities to fully investigate Mr. Ghomeshi's behaviour. In

each of these cases, even in the absence of a formal complaint, CBC managers were clearly put

on notice that there were allegations that Mr. Ghomeshi's behaviour was contrary to the

Behavioural Standard. This notice went beyond the general information to which managers,

either individually or jointly, became aware, as outlined above. These allegations were direct and

they were specific.

Ok. So the managers are toast, but why didn't they do anything ? Did they go any further with the complaints ? How far up does this go ?

Other questions: how many levels of management does it take to screw up managing a professional workplace ? And how much do you want to bet the solution will result in a sterile, over-managed wasteland ?

bush_cheney2004 · April 17, 2015

....Other questions: how many levels of management does it take to screw up managing a professional workplace ? And how much do you want to bet the solution will result in a sterile, over-managed wasteland ?

What kind of fertile, less managed work environment would you prefer ? At best, CBC management was just clueless, but more likely they were complicit in keeping their "rock star" host on the air. I just finished our annual professional ethics and workplace harassment training modules....it ain't rocket science...except maybe for the CBC.

Michael Hardner · April 17, 2015

What kind of fertile, less managed work environment would you prefer ? At best, CBC management was just clueless, but more likely they were complicit in keeping their "rock star" host on the air. I just finished our annual professional ethics and workplace harassment training modules....it ain't rocket science...except maybe for the CBC.

I would like to think that the CBC could just have a humane and creatively productive workplace. I realize these are the ramblings of a dreamer. Agreed that it's not rocket science, so why can't they find a happy medium between Clockwork Orange behavior control and New Orleans brothel ?

GostHacked · April 17, 2015

Ok. So the managers are toast, but why didn't they do anything ? Did they go any further with the complaints ? How far up does this go ?

Other questions: how many levels of management does it take to screw up managing a professional workplace ? And how much do you want to bet the solution will result in a sterile, over-managed wasteland ?

This was the part I was waiting for. His abuse did not go unnoticed, and it was essentially ignored. Good thing more heads will roll.

bush_cheney2004 · April 17, 2015

I would like to think that the CBC could just have a humane and creatively productive workplace. I realize these are the ramblings of a dreamer. Agreed that it's not rocket science, so why can't they find a happy medium between Clockwork Orange behavior control and New Orleans brothel ?

New Orleans brothel ? Halifax whore house !

If it was 1975, I could understand how such boorish behaviour was tolerated, but there is no way in hell that a professional organization would accept such actions if only because of the liability, let alone the impact on the workplace environment. CBC and HR were intentionally asleep at the wheel.

jacee · April 18, 2015

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/17/employment-lawyer-criticizes-cbcs-ghomeshi-report

Levitt said a culture of fear and entitlement at the CBC allowed bad behaviour to germinate because the public broadcaster is a stand-alone entity and not like those owned by large private corporations such as Global, City, or CTV, which are owned by Shaw, Rogers and Bell Media, respectively.

The others are part of large corporations with enunciated and enforced codes of conduct, said Levitt. Those are companies that have long had harassment policies and zero tolerance in the workplace, and employees know that if they are mistreated they have people to complain to and (that) action will be taken ... (News) anchors know and managers know and senior executives know that if they get out of line theyre going to be fired.

I think there's some truth to this 'stand alone' issue: CBC is not government bureaucracy or private corporation, has no 'peer group' so has been outside the cultures where sexual harassment has been addressed for many years.

I guess they've learned a lesson now about encouraging a culture where harassment flourishes and celebrity employees are protected!

.

Edited April 18, 2015 by jacee

bush_cheney2004 · April 18, 2015

Maybe "creative" people expect behaviour like this at the CBC...Lord knows the CBC needs more creativity for its programming. But it is still inconceivable to me how Ghomeshi's actions were tolerated over such a long period of time.

Let's see...dial the Wayback machine to 2007 and pretend this could happen without any repercussions or accountability at other professional organizations.

"I used to work as a radio producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. A few months into my job in 2007, I let out a big yawn at a staff meeting and my host told me “I want to hate f*** you, to wake you up.” I was 27 years old. I made sure never to yawn in front of him again."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/02/-sp-jian-ghomeshi-sexual-harassment-cbc-ignored

So creative...so edgy...and apparently how to become a state broadcaster rock star. Edited April 18, 2015 by Michael Hardner
profanity

guyser · April 20, 2015

Troll says..But it is still inconceivable to me how Ghomeshi's actions were tolerated over such a long period of time.

Oh of course :rolleyes: because it couldnt happen anywhere else could it.

Its not like the Tailhook Scandal is comparable, 83 women sexually assaulted, Rear Admiral Williams falsifying a report to the US Dept of Navy......no no....couldnt be.

Congrat, you are todays F'ing joke .

bush_cheney2004 · April 20, 2015

Sounds about right....Canada's state controlled broadcaster is stuck in the late 1980's - early 1990's.

Apologists for the CBC can be found in any decade.

guyser · April 20, 2015

Sounds about right....Canada's state controlled broadcaster is stuck in the late 1980's - early 1990's.

Apologists for the CBC can be found in any decade.

And ignorant Americans cinstantly repeating lies are legion.

Well done, doing your part to foster ignorance worldwide. How 'murican of you .

On Guard for Thee · April 21, 2015

And ignorant Americans cinstantly repeating lies are legion.

Well done, doing your part to foster ignorance worldwide. How 'murican of you .

I get a kick out of how he likes to continually flog the idea the CBC is state controlled. Meanwhile he likely gets his news from the likes of Fox.

overthere · April 21, 2015

It's easy to understand why the CBC has had its head in the sand with Gomeshi, and it is not complex. First is that Gomeshi was a rockstar in an organization that has had very, very few successes and loads of flops in recent decades. Overlooking his warts was preferable to management compared to taking action to shut him down. There was little in the way of formal complaint prior to this explosion of allegations, which made it very easy to pretend there was no substance. Second is that- deny it all you want- the CBC operates in a civil service mode. There is little accountability for management error, and no personal liability at risk. It's been the way of public sector management forever. It must have come as a terrible shock to the two executives fired that there was a price for their errors. The CBC was in desperation mode when they took that extremely rare path.

Edited April 21, 2015 by overthere

bush_cheney2004 · April 21, 2015

..... There was little in the way of formal complaint prior to this explosion of allegations, which made it very easy to pretend there was no substance. Second is that- deny it all you want- the CBC operates in a civil service mode. There is little accountability for management error, and no personal liability at risk. It's been the way of public sector management forever. It must have come as a terrible shock to the two executives fired that there was a price for their errors. The CBC was in desperation mode when they took that extremely rare path.

Agreed...the CBC operates like a government organization and it is largely funded that way.

cybercoma · April 21, 2015

I get a kick out of how he likes to continually flog the idea the CBC is state controlled. Meanwhile he likely gets his news from the likes of Fox.

There's a difference FOX is controlled by the people who control the state in the US. FOX isn't state controlled. It's just the puppet on the left hand and the government is the puppet on the right hand.

On Guard for Thee · April 21, 2015

There's a difference FOX is controlled by the people who control the state in the US. FOX isn't state controlled. It's just the puppet on the left hand and the government is the puppet on the right hand.

I think Fox is as much boardroom controlled as anything.

WIP · April 21, 2015

My cynicism levels are so high that I am rarely surprised or disappointed by whatever misconduct is reported in the news, but I am actually surprised by the degree the CBC went to try protect their star by covering up his misconduct. For some reason I expected better of this institution because I actually like some CBC radio shows and collect their podcasts. There is Nothing on private/for profit Canadian radio that is worth listening to.....let alone uploading to listen later!

Michael Hardner · April 22, 2015

There is Nothing on private/for profit Canadian radio that is worth listening to.....let alone uploading to listen later!

How about Canadaland podcast ? The podcast that broke the Ghomeshi story in the first place ?

Boges · May 12, 2015

Hmmm

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jian-ghomeshi-case-2-of-7-sex-assault-charges-withdrawn-1.3070859

The Crown withdrew the two charges after determining there wasn't a reasonable prospect of conviction based on the evidence.

The fifth estate: The Unmaking of Jian Ghomeshi
The Crown said the charges weren't dropped because of an issue of witness credibility, the CBC's Ioanna Roumeliotis reported from the downtown court.

Ghomeshi, 47, now faces five charges stemming from interactions with four women. The charges include:

Four counts of sexual assault.

One count of overcoming resistance by choking.

His court case, which involves three women, will proceed to a judge-only trial in February 2016. One sexual assault case, however, is set to be tried separately in June 2016.

Boges · February 1, 2016

Trial starts today

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/01/31/crowns-strategy-in-ghomeshi-trial-uses-three-similar-fact-cases.html

Crown attorneys prosecuting sexual assault cases often present numerous individual allegations that resemble each other in the hope that a judge will determine they represent “similar fact” evidence.

“Absent evidence of collusion, you start to wonder if they are telling the same story because the accused is doing it,” says John Rosen, one of Canada’s leading criminal defence lawyers.

Rosen, a criminal lawyer for 46 years, has no involvement in the case but was asked by the Star to comment on the process of a criminal trial of this kind.

What's unclear is whether the three complainants in the Jian Ghomeshi trial will be presented as similar fact cases, or whether they will be presented as individual, and separate, cases.

Rosen said that "similar fact" evidence is a strategy that can work, but even though the stories from the Ghomeshi complainants seem similar, the Crown may not pursue that strategy.

Hal 9000 · February 1, 2016

It's gonna be tough for the one woman to explain why he roughed her up and she had at least 2 more dates with him.

Boges · February 1, 2016

It's gonna be tough for the one woman to explain why he roughed her up and she had at least 2 more dates with him.

Or when he kicked her out of the apartment, she felt like trash. Wouldn't you want to get away from him as soon as you could?

GostHacked · February 1, 2016

How about Canadaland podcast ? The podcast that broke the Ghomeshi story in the first place ?

I second this notion. Canadaland Show has proved to be a much better source for investigative journalism.

WestCoastRunner · February 1, 2016

I second this notion. Canadaland Show has proved to be a much better source for investigative journalism.

It was a great podcast. I highly recommended anyone following this case to listen to it.

WestCoastRunner · February 1, 2016

This case is going to cast a huge spotlight on how sexual assault cases are handled in Canada.

cybercoma · February 1, 2016

I'm predicting Ghomeshi walks away from this one. He has a powerful lawyer when it comes to these kinds of cases and the deck is already stacked against victims in these circumstances.