The Institute Board of Directors and Tania Lafrenière, Executive Director.
August 8, 2024
Jennie Esnard
Ottawa, ON
Via email:
PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL
Dear Ms. Esnard,
Re: Inappropriate Facebook Comment
PIPSC has been advised that you recently commented on Facebook as follows:
‘’Wake up voters General Counsel needs to go as well’’
Your statement, suggesting that voters (i.e., PIPSC delegates) should remove a staff member from an
unelected position, is deeply concerning to the Institute. As an experienced PIPSC representative and
Chief Steward, you are aware, or should be, that PIPSC delegates do not have the authority to terminate
the employment of staff members. Furthermore, you are not privy to all the facts concerning this matter,
and the details remain confidential. For you to make such a comment against a staff member without full
knowledge is both unfair and harmful. The primary, if not sole, intent of your post appears to be to
threaten and intimidate the Office of the General Counsel, which can reasonably be interpreted as
workplace harassment, violence, and intimidation.
Given your extensive experience with PIPSC, you are undoubtedly aware that as an employer, PIPSC is
obligated to ensure a healthy workplace for its employees and must take all reasonable steps to prevent
workplace harassment, violence, and intimidation. The Institute cannot ignore the threat you have made
against a staff member. Therefore, we instruct you to immediately remove the above-mentioned
comment from Facebook, issue a public apology to the General Counsel and PIPSC staff, and refrain from
making similar potentially threatening and intimidating comments in the future. Failure to comply with
these instructions may result in disciplinary action.
We would also invite you to participate in an informal facilitated conflict resolution discussion with the
General Counsel, Ms. Marie-Helene Tougas as soon as possible in order to resolve this conflict.
I trust the above is clear and I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
The Institute Board of Directors and Tania Lafrenière, Executive Director.
Dear Mr. Jean-Francois Prégent, Ms. Lafrenière and Members of the Board of Directors,
I acknowledge receipt of your letter regarding my recent comment on Facebook. However, I must
express my profound discontent with the manner in which this situation has been handled and the
conclusions you have drawn.
First and foremost, my comment, while direct, was made in the spirit of open dialogue and
constructive criticism. As a long-standing member and Chief Steward of the NCR PIPSC, I believe
that it is not only my right but also my responsibility to voice concerns about the direction and
leadership within our organization, particularly when I believe they may impact the members we
serve.
Your characterization of my comment as a "threat" intended to "intimidate" or "harass" the Office of
the General Counsel is not only unfounded but also deeply insulting. At no point did I intend to
incite violence or engage in workplace harassment. My remark was aimed at highlighting what I
perceive as a significant issue within our organization, one that warrants discussion and reflection.
To suggest otherwise is to misinterpret my intentions and unfairly malign my character.
Regarding your assertion that PIPSC members do not have the authority to terminate the
employment of staff members, I am aware of the organizational structure and the limitations of the
member’s power. My comment was not a literal call for action but rather an expression of concern
over the performance and leadership within the Office of the General Counsel.
Furthermore, while you state that I am not privy to all the facts concerning this matter, it is worth
noting that the lack of transparency within the organization only fuels concerns among members. If
there are details that would contextualize or clarify the situation, I would welcome a more open and
honest dialogue about them.
I find it particularly troubling that rather than engaging with the substance of my concerns, you have
chosen to focus on silencing me through threats of disciplinary action. This approach does not
foster a healthy workplace environment, nor does it encourage the open exchange of ideas that is
crucial for the growth and improvement of our organization.
While I will NOT remove the comment as instructed. I will not be issuing a public apology, as I do
not believe that my actions warrant one. However, I will not participate in a facilitated conflict
resolution discussion with Ms. Tougas, as I believe this is a mere witch hunt. Furthermore, to the
individual sharing screenshots from the Members for Transparency and Accountability group
proves that the Board does not respect its members and are failing us.
I trust that moving forward, the Institute will be more open to constructive criticism and will engage
with members in a manner that respects their right to express concerns without fear of retaliation.
Sincerely,
Jennie Esnard
Chief Steward, PIPSC
