Former Vancouver Canucks employee Rachel Doerrie alleged the team and assistant GM Emilie Castonguay discriminated against her.
Doerrie filed a human rights complaint with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal on Nov. 22 and shared the document on Twitter Sunday evening. She alleged that her sex, mental and physical disabilities played a role in her termination on Sept. 27.
Castonguay is specifically named in the complaint “because of the central role she played in the termination of Ms. Doerrie’s employment,” said the document, written by Peter Gall, Doerrie’s counsel. The Canucks are also named as a respondent.
Doerrie alleged that Castonguay grew “cold” towards her after Doerrie was promoted to the coaching staff as an analyst and assistant to the video coach. That eventually led to Castonguay allegedly saying to Doerrie, “I don’t know if you have what it takes to do the job, mentally.”
“Ms. Doerrie suffered damage to her dignity, self-esteem, and physical and mental health resulting from Ms. Castonguay’s comments, and her subsequent treatment by Ms. Castonguay,” the document alleged. “She also suffered financial losses arising from her unexpected loss of employment.”
These allegations have not yet been evaluated or proven in the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal.
Castonguay and the Canucks released statements denying the allegations.
“I take a lot of pride in my work with the Vancouver Canucks, being a good leader, a person of high moral character, and always respecting and putting my co-workers first,” Castonguay said through the Canucks. “These allegations by Ms. Doerrie are absolutely not true and her allegations of what I said to her are false and inaccurate.”
Added Canucks Sports and Entertainment: “We strongly disagree with the allegations brought forth by Ms. Doerrie. Our organization provided Ms. Doerrie with all the necessary resources, support and opportunities to succeed in her role.”
Doerrie said when she was first approached to be an analyst for the Canucks in January, she disclosed her post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) tied to her physical disability, a heart condition. She expected to be provided with a “safe and healthy work environment, which took her mental and physical disabilities into account.”
The document said the team confirmed her expectation in the interview process. Her mental and physical disabilities were also made known to her colleagues and supervisors, including Castonguay, to manage her health and safety.
The incident that Doerrie alleged led to her termination stemmed from an article about her from a sports reporter and friend. The reporter wrote an article about Doerrie’s promotion and included public comments by Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau, who said Doerrie has “a wealth of knowledge” at a young age.
Doerrie reposted the link to the story to her Instagram account and “politely reacted” to a text from the reporter with Boudreau’s quotes.
On Sept. 20, one day after the article was published, Doerrie alleged Castonguay called her into her office and was concerned that Doerrie reposted the article to Instagram and spoke with the media.
Doerrie then alleged Castonguay said, “You’re not important enough to be cared about” and “no one in the media is your friend,” as well as the comment about not thinking Doerrie has what it takes mentally to do the job.
From Sept. 21 to 24, Doerrie, Castonguay and Canucks GM Patrik Allvin attended the team’s training camp in Whistler, B.C.
Doerrie alleged Castonguay ignored her and “stopped acknowledging her presence in front of her co-workers.”
Doerrie alleged that because of Castonguay’s treatment towards her, she suffered “multiple cardiac episodes and anxiety attacks” from Sept. 21 to 25. She required treatment by the team’s mental performance specialist, team physician and orthopedic surgeon.
Afterward, the document said Doerrie told the Canucks’ HR department that Castonguay’s comments about her mental ability to do the job “crossed the line.” The department then said it was made aware by Castonguay that Doerrie spoke to the media about her promotion.
A few hours later, Doerrie alleged that Allvin terminated her employment based on Castonguay’s information that Doerrie spoke to the reporter about the announcement of her promotion and then reposted the article on her Instagram account.
Allvin “further stated that although Ms. Doerrie was being terminated without cause, the Canucks had cause to terminate Ms. Doerrie for speaking to the media about her promotion,” according to the document.
The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal deals with complaints under the B.C. Human Rights Code. The code forbids discrimination based on personal characteristics, such as race, sex, disability and more.
Disclaimer: Doerrie was a co-host on the Staff and Graph Podcast before she was hired by the Canucks and has since appeared as a co-host since the termination. The Hockey News carries the Staff and Graph Podcast, and Doerrie does get compensated for the podcast.
