CAO Dussault demands action from council

Par Raymond Berthiaume
CAO Dussault demands action from council
Hawkesbury’s Chief Administrator Dominique Dussault demands that council take action on her complaint about harrassment in the workplace from Mayor Paula Assaly.

Chief Administrator Dominique Dussault told council during its April 25 session that both city and herself have received a copy earlier this month of a workplace investigation report related to her complaint about harrassment from the mayor. The report would be one of the topics for discussion during the in-camera session of council following the public meeting.

« I am therefore urging council for urgent action on implementing the appropriate remedial measures to enable me to work in a harassment-free environment, » said Dussault.

Dussault reminded council that she had filed a harassment complaint last November under the municipality’s Code of Ethics. John Saywell, the integrity commissioner at that time, investigated and upheld her complaint in a report to council. The report became the subject of a judicial court stay of proceedings request by the mayor. The presiding judge  ruled against the stay of proceedings request and directed council to « fulfill its mandate to respond to the allegations of harassment » in the original Saywell report.

Dussault noted that there has been no further action by either the mayor or council regarding sanctions recommended in the Saywell report. Since then Dussault has filed a civil suit against both the mayor and the municipality in relation to her original complaint and the Saywell report.

« As you know from the report you have in hand, the (harrassment) allegations were founded, » Dussault said. « How is it possible that council has not yet acted on my behalf when I am the victim in this case? »

Council then adjourned for its in-camera session.

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