Richmond Hill councillor demands apology after harassment probe falters
The complainant’s ‘silence’ means the investigation involving Councillor Greg Beros can’t proceed.

Thestar.com
Feb. 24, 2016
By Noor Javed

An investigation into whether a Richmond Hill councillor breached the town’s code of conduct when he allegedly sexually harassed a former town staffer never got off the ground, after the integrity commissioner’s attempts to reach the complainant failed.

Integrity commissioner Nigel Bellchamber was called in to investigate if Councillor Greg Beros breached the town’s policy when, according to Bellchamber, Beros allegedly engaged in a “pattern of sexual harassment and abusive conduct toward an individual” over the four years she worked at the town.

But in a report that was presented to council this week, Bellchamber said he was unable to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.

“The (Human Resources) Director attempted to make contact with the complainant to no avail,” he wrote in the report, including sending her registered mail. While she picked up the letter, she never responded.

“We concluded, by her silence, that the complainant does not wish to proceed with our investigation,” the report says.

The initial complaint was made in 2014, and the city hired an independent external investigator who found in 2015 that “it was more likely than not” Beros “engaged in conduct amounting to sexual harassment and abusive conduct” and referred the matter to the integrity commissioner.

According to Bellchamber’s report, the external investigator had felt that Beros had “thwarted” her ability to assess his credibility and reliability by not fully participating and co-operating in the investigation. The external investigator said the “complainant’s allegations were substantiated on a balance of probabilities” and had concluded that he had breached the Town’s Respect in the Workplace Policy.

Bellchamber said that since her conclusion was based on a “judgment call” he decided to proceed with his own investigation. But in the end, he was unable to do so.

In an interview Beros said he has filed for a judicial review of the town’s investigation process, and is demanding a public apology from council.

“The Integrity Commissioner report has highlighted the many concerns that I have raised in my judicial review application,” he said, including the fact the he wasn’t given a copy of the investigator’s report before it went to council for consideration nor, he said, told about all the allegations made by the complainant.

“It wasn’t an open and transparent process. I had to continuously push them to get information about all the allegations against me,” said Beros.

Beros said the allegations have been damaging to his career and reputation.

“Given what has transpired to date, it is still my hope that reason will prevail and that Council will work on finding a reasonable solution to remedy the harm that I have suffered as a result of the unfair investigation process and report,” he said in a post on Facebook.

In a news release this week, the town said that “while the integrity commissioner was unable to proceed with its independent investigation, the findings of the (external) investigator under the Respect in the Workplace Policy still stand,” the release said.

“This is a matter council takes very seriously. As members of council - it is our responsibility to uphold the policies that guide our conduct and protect Richmond Hill employees. Any breach is not acceptable.”