CBC issues apology after Ghomeshi report released

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The way CBC managers handled Jian Ghomeshi case has led the public broadcaster sever ties with two top executives, and issue an apology to its employees. The moves follow the release of a report the CBCc calls “troubling and disappointing.”

The 56 page report was completed by employment lawyer Janice Rubin. Today both the president and a top executive acknowledge that they accept the report in it’s entirety and agree with all of it’s findings. The CBC fired Ghomeshi the host of it’s daily radio show “Q” in October after seeing what it called graphic evidence that he had caused physical injury to a woman. The report focuses a lot on how management failed to handle the complaints about the host.

Jian Ghomeshi was deeply disrespectful to employees. Those are the findings in the workplace investigation report. Now the CBC is saying it’s sorry.

“On behalf of this organization I offer a sincere and unqualified apology to our employees” said President Hubert LaCroix.

The investigator spoke with 99 people over a 5 month period. The report recounts allegations that Ghomeshi would yell and belittle other people even humiliating some employees along with play cruel pranks. And in a small number of cases sexually harass others.

The report also contains allegations that managers who worked with Ghomeshi failed to investigate his behaviour or take steps to stop it. “Where we experienced or tolerated an unsafe workplace we see that as a failure” said Executive VP Heather Conway.

The finding shows that while his behaviour was tolerated, Ghomeshi’s salary rose. The report states “We believe that management’s failure to effectively deal with Mr. Ghomeshi’s behaviour gave him license to continue.

The public broadcaster let go of two top employees. Executive director of CBC radio Chris Boyce and the head of Human Resources Todd Spencer. Both interviewed “Q” employees as part of an internal investigation.
“By not dealing with it she concludes that management condoned this behaviour” said Heather Conway.

CBC employees were reluctant to talk about the case.

Ghomeshi faces seven counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking. His lawyer says he will plead not guilty. When asked how soon employees will see a change in managements style at the CBC, they said that culture changes over time, and that CBC does have many employees that live up to the standards. But, the company is accepting the recommendations that were made. Some of those recommendations include include creating a confidential hotline for employees to report concerns and complaints, bringing in a third party to conduct employee surveys, and independent audits on workplace culture and improve training for conducting workplace investigations.