Whitehorse Daily Star

Ex-daycare worker never felt harassed, rights panel hears

A former employee at a Riverdale daycare says she never felt sexually harassed at work.

By Ashley Joannou on March 11, 2013

A former employee at a Riverdale daycare says she never felt sexually harassed at work.

Carrie Wilkinson was the final witness to testify Friday in front of a human rights panel of adjudicators, in a case involving the now-closed Childhood Discoveries daycare.

The daycare's owner, Christina Hassard, is being accused by two other former employees of failing to step in to stop sexual harassment at the workplace.

Both Willow Lacosse and Jessica Dyck claim they were made to feel uncomfortable by the daycare's co-director, Mike Gustus.

The women allege Gustus often made inappropriate comments at work, including many sexual innuendoes.

The hearing took up most of last week and wrapped up Friday afternoon.

The sides now have about two weeks to submit their closing arguments in writing. Near the end of the month, they will meet again in person to respond to those written arguments.

Then the panel will take time to make its final decision.

Wilkinson told the panel she never felt harassed at work and never heard Gustus make sexually suggestive jokes around the children.

If Gustus ever made a joke to staff in private, he always asked first, she said.

Wilkinson began working at Childhood Discoveries in November 2011, remaining until near the time it closed early last year.

She said she "loved working there” and "thought the philosophy was great.”

Wilkinson said she felt comfortable coming to Hassard with concerns, and never felt at risk of losing her job if she spoke up.

Both Lacosse, 24, and Dyck, 23, have said they felt uncomfortable going to Hassard about their treatment by Gustus because the two were long-time friends.

Lacosse is claiming she was fired as a result of the sexual harassment, while Dyck says she was dismissed because of her friendship with Lacosse.

Both women filed separate complaints with the Yukon Human Right Commission not long after their jobs ended.

Wilkinson claims Lacosse "didn't want to be friends with anyone” and "didn't like me from the start.”

She said she was "shocked” by the complaints, adding she doesn't believe Gustus is capable of that kind of behaviour.

She called the situation a "vengeful complaint.”

During cross-examination, the commission's lawyer, Colleen Harrington questioned Wilkinson about her motivation for testifying.

Wilkinson admitted she doesn't like Lacosse's "attitude” but said she doesn't blame her for the daycare's closure.

There is no timeline in place for when the panel may make a final decision.

Comments (1)

Up 0 Down 0

anonymous on Mar 11, 2013 at 10:26 am

I guess my question is why did this daycare actually close down?

The situation sounds like two girls (yes GIRLS) who decided to say they were sexually harassed because they were fired. If this wasn't the case they should have documented everything while working there and made a complaint to the human rights commission while working there. But as far as I know they did not do this so I don't believe them.

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