Two CBC execs on leave of absence after Jian Ghomeshi investigation

by Mark Teo

As the Jian Ghomeshi scandal unfolded, the CBC remained curiously silent. Yes, the public broadcaster said, they were conducting private investigations surrounding the conduct of their employees, but as the case devolved—and more accounts began to fly, including the harassment of ex-CBC interns and former Q employee Kathryn Borel—the optics began to look worse: What was going on in their internal investigations? Was Canada’s struggling public broadcaster harbouring an unhealthy star system out of necessity—because, amidst deep budget cuts and pressures to operate like a private-owned media company, the Mansbridges and Ghomeshis were all it had left?

The answer, still, is maybe. But yesterday, the broadcaster hinted that things may be changing internally. Yesterday, in the wake of the Ghomeshi scandal, the broadcaster announced that senior radio executive Chris Boyce and human resources manager Todd Spencer were on leave of absence, although predictably, the station didn’t offer any specifics.

According to CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson, the decision was related to Ghomeshi—but that’s all we know. In a message circulated amongst employees, executive vice-president of English services Heather Conway wrote that “we will not be making any further public comment about Todd or Chris or their leaves of absence at this time.”

So, what were Spencer and Boyce’s roles in the Ghomeshi scandal? Boyce, for his part, took part in the CBC’s own Fifth Estate documentary called “The Unmaking of Jian Ghomeshi.” He led a summertime investigation on Ghomesi, but failed to produce any reports of alleged abuse, which led Borel to criticize him for, y’know, failing to contact the employees who complained of harassment.

Meanwhile, Borel says she was encouraged to see both men gone, but claims that the CBC needed to widen their scope to include Arif Noorani, Q‘s one-time executive producer. Noorani now works with another CBC show, but while on Q, supposedly condoned the Moxy Fruvous member’s behaviour by telling Borel that Ghomeshi wouldn’t change. She had to “figure out” how to cope with his actions, which, to our ears, sounds like some real-deal victim-blaming bullshit.

We’ll keep you updated on the developing story. [H/T CBC]