CFN – Can you imagine with a background in nursing discovering that a staff member at the Long Term Care facility you’re a manager at has hurt a patient?
You follow the rules and report it leading to a five year odyssey that has seen your job terminated, reinstated, and then ending up yourself on Long Term disability from the impact of abuse, retaliation, bullying, and in the end not being able to work in your field?
Your devastated financially and in many cases become a pariah mostly out of fear from those who simply didn’t have the courage to out of fear of the very actions that have inflicted Diane Shay.
CFN sat down one on one with Ms Shay Saturday as she’s watched the same management team sued by another Whistleblower, Cornwall Ontario Deputy Fire Chief Rob Hickley.
The one common denominator were Mayor Bob Kilger and former Cornwall CAO Paul Fitzpatrick.
Diane Shay Interview Part 1
The utter irony is that the employee that abused an elderly patient still is employed at Glen Stor Dun Lodge. Donna Derouchie, former Manager was given a golden parachute as was former CAO Paul Fitzpatrick who was allowed to retire with a settlement only recently confirmed by the city. Mr. Fitzpatrick’s settlement, negotiated with his good friend Mayor Bob Kilger is also under a nondisclosure agreement, also confirmed by the city last week.
Diane Shay Interview Part 2
Former HR Manager Robert Menagh was also turfed by the City of Cornwall with no cause and given a settlement valued at over $300K as well.
The irony that all had their legal bills covered by the city except the Whistleblower is also not lost on many. And of course council as a whole have stayed all but silent during this process with only councilor Leslie O’Shaughnessy offering a public apology after he resigned from the chaos of council.
Another Whistleblower that anonymously stepped forward had the letters they submitted held back from being delivered to council. It’s not even known if what council eventually received was the complete actual letter delivered twice to councilors LINK
In fact a document being debated at today’s council meeting pretty much spells out some of the ills of the Kilger council; but as Mr. O’Shaughnessy stated, how can you move forward on issues if you haven’t fixed passed indiscretions?
Review the background information and advice made available to us by the administration prior to rendering a decision.
Is that essentially not stating that this is exactly what this council has done under Mr. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Levac, the current CAO?
Refrain from making any commitments on behalf of the Council to individual citizens or groups.
So who was making deals on behalf of council?
We agree to respect the apolitical nature of the office of the CAO and to receive his/her advice as being in the perceived best interests of the community and/or organization.
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We will respectfully listen to comments in response to questions posed at Council meetings and will ensure that the CAO is accorded a respectful audience.
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We will not bypass the CAO in our search for information and will coordinate any questions/concerns relative to the jurisdiction of the administration through the office of the CAO.
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We agree to respect the apolitical nature of our senior staff and will treat their advice and reports with respect. We will not knowingly or willfully interfere with their work and will coordinate concerns through the office of the CAO.
How or why would any of Mr. Kilger’s minions do that when the CAO serves at the whim of council and his contract? Does that make any sense? And of course this document offers no penalties or remedies if a councilor violates it which means it’s not really worth the paper it’s written on at the end of the day.
Imagine five years Diane Shay has endured because of the circus that this leadership team has run and cost taxpayers as some estimate, more than $3M in legal bills, settlements and costs which the city is hiding like the cost of the Judith Allen investigation.
And Kathleen Wynne has issues with Rob Ford?
Great story Jamie well written,Diane needs the support of all of Cornwall as well as Rob another whistleblower,rally tonight to support them starts at 6:15 on sidewalk in front of city hall Pitt & 4th.Can you just picture a staff member hurting your mom or Dad in a home for the aged ,unthinkable really but has happened,Please come out to show your support or maybe the next time our loved one gets hurt…another Diane might just shudder & walk away!
Great article Jamie,
Yes mariah “Please come out to show your support or maybe the next time our loved one gets hurt…another Diane might just shudder & walk away!”
If there was no protection you cant blame them for turning their head looking the other way ,because now the whistle blower has become the target!
Why should the whistle blower become the target when they speak up for the communities concern?
Good old fashioned Canadian apathy benefits the politicians not its citizens.
A very good, important and useful interview, Jamie. This is a disturbing example of abuse on all levels, and mostly an abuse of power.
The next election, Bob kilgor will win and serve another term, as will 8 of 10 councilors, people in Cornwall really don’t care.
We have had employers that paid great wages, now, we are a city of minumum wage up to $15.00 per hour.
All these new companies do not spend in Cornwall. All you need to do is drive by all the new logistic plants. You see electrical and mechanical companies from Monteal, Ottawa or Toronto. There is very lttle rippple effect for Cornwall small businesses.
An excellent interview. I just came on and saw Mrs. Shay and like Mr. Hickley I felt for both these people as well as for others who haven’t come forward just yet. I wish that more would come forward and talk about what is going on and it would strengthen the cases even more with everyone getting involved. My mother never wanted to go to such an institution and wanted to die instead. Mrs. Shay you be strong as well. Bare Ass, Fitzy and all the rest are not one iota of a person like what you and Rob Hickley are and never will be and deserve nobody’s respect at all. I have so much respect for Jamie and all what he is going through as well. Take care and all the best.
Another City of Cornwall hero. It takes a lot of courage to pull back the blanket of secrecy and force transparency. A culture shift is imminent Cornwall…you have the power these 2 people have paid for in your hands now. Use it wisely and to the benefit of your community.
Write letters to your council, call your councillors, fax, email, organize and demonstrate until your message is not only heard but understood…no more corruption.
Ms. Shay, you are an incredible woman and although the stress of the bullying and harassment you have endured through this ordeal (illegal under the Ministry of Labour, Section 32, btw) is evident in your voice, I wish you contentment in knowing you did the right thing for your patient, your colleagues, your fellow citizens. You have cut a path of integrity that will make it easier for others to follow.
For you other whistleblowers who until now have been afraid to come forward…there is safety in numbers. Now is the time to launch your concerns. Each officially logged complaint will add strength and credibility to another. Force the city to a position of transparency.
Good luck to all.
My goodness, Fred, you are right on all points. Except, I am not sure you understand City Council. Right now, and for the last 5 years anyway, they are practicing “Kilger Politics.” That 5-person group every meeting, don’t and won’t care what any citizen or employee has to say. They are YES councillors for the Mayor, obviously polled and influenced ahead of time because in all my years of attending and/or watching Council meetings there has never been such an exact divide in Council decisions. And, to cover their behinds, they just hire {at our expense} another legal firm to hide behind a legal opinion. If Mrs. Shay is correct in her statement that 5 firms have been involved in her case alone, do we think that for a minute any of the firms have all of the information or are they just advising on a current situation. Like the now infamous statement that “I am not and have not been in a Conflict of Interest…” Gee, where is that firm today? There is NO protection for anyone to voice their concerns or information. None. One employee was threatened unnecessarily with “up to and including termination.” WOW, an investigation was requested and conducted by an Acting CAO who determined there was no wrong doing–even though the ONLY person interviewed was the Manager involved. Stupid Council accepted the findings. It is obvious that the whistleblower policy has major holes in it, and that those who try to utilize it become the victims who end up having to continually defend themselves or accept life with the City and don’t pursue, while our Council hide behind legal opinions or bogus investigations that they are too embarrassed to even publish but accept it unanimously because a lawyer told them to. They refuse to think for themselves or be guided by what they know is right and wrong and hide behind lawyers. Fred, your suggestions are logical and we all know they should work–but they don’t–not in this City and definitely not for employees. The Mayor and his followers know that fear is a great motivator and use it to the extreme. Everyone knows you should not and do not ever go to Council. It’s just the way it is and that is why these two whistleblowers are enduring what they are enduring today. To say they are City of Cornwall heroes doesn’t even begin to cover what they have done for the rest of us or what they have gone through.