Story by Liz Braun • Yesterday - Toronto Sun
Jennifer Valentyne.© Provided by Toronto Sun
Q107 Radio posted on Twitter Nov. 29 that their investigation into complaints about the working environment at the show Derringer In the Morning had concluded.
Their statement described the investigation as independent and external, but as Q107 parent company Corus Entertainment hired, paid for and directed Turnpenney Milne LLP in the investigation, “independent” and “external” may be considered window dressing.
Their statement notes that though personnel matters remain private and confidential, “we understand and accept the findings and recommendations. Where not already in place, we intend to implement the investigator’s recommendations.”
Jennifer Valentyne, the media personality whose video on Twitter earlier this year sparked a closer look at an allegedly toxic workplace where at least five women had formally complained, said Tuesday that the statement came as no surprise to her or anyone else.
Valentyne had already tweeted in response to the Q107 statement:
“This statement says nothing. I didn’t participate because investigating mgmt was not included. Execs, the CEO and HR knew what was going on for years. FOUR women before me. We all begged for help. We were all denied. The women were blamed. The men were protected. #accountability.”
Valentyne declined to be part of the investigation (as did another woman) when she was given to understand that it did not involve management. She also had no faith in it.
“For all I know, they could have put it all on me. Now they’ll say I didn’t take part — I viewed it as a no-win situation. But I don’t regret what I did. It saves another woman,” she said.
Her objective was never to see Derringer get fired, she said.
Speaking of her time at the station, Valentyne said, “My whole thing was always, ‘let’s make it better.’
“I was trying to figure it out myself, and I was offering managerial advice, such as, let’s get him more anger management, let’s put an observer in the room — let’s work on this!”
Bottom line: M anagement knew what was going on but did nothing over many years, Valentyne said.
“They could have dealt with it 20 years ago but chose not to,” she said.
Early on in the Derringer debacle, attention turned from the on-air personality himself to Corus Entertainment.
Indeed, Valentyne’s complaint of gender discrimination with the Canadian Human Rights Commission is against Corus Entertainment, not Derringer.
So what about Corus management? Any accountability there?
“Maybe that’s next,” said Valentyne, “but I doubt it.”
BRAUN: Problem bigger than allegations against Q-107's John Derringer
Still, anyone observing the situation wonders why the Shaw family and the Corus board remain silent.
“They failed their employees. They failed their women,” said Valentyne.
Nobody is expected an apology from Corus, because that’s viewed as an admission of guilt. But the complaints from female staff go back many years, and what’s mystifying is that nothing was done over all those years.
It’s perhaps fair to question why so much time and money might have been spent to seemingly cover up the mess instead of trying to fix it.
(Current rumours say Derringer got $8 million when he parted company with Corus.)
Maureen Holloway, Supriya Dwivedi, Jacqui Delaney — each of these high-profile women has spoken about the alleged enablers of Derringer.
When will that be addressed?
“I never expected anything,” said Valentyne of the investigation.
“We knew what this was from the beginning. The result is no surprise to anyone.
“They just want it to go away,” she said.
A request for more information from Corus was unanswered at press time.
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