Dhalla thread the 3rd: new allegations

39 posts / 0 new

Sat, 2009-05-16 14:10

Sineed

Woman alleges Dhalla's brother fired her because she was pregnant

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/05/15/dhalla-neil-complaint....

Quote:
In an exclusive interview with CBC News, Josie Zaffino, who is expecting her first child in less than a week, said she got pregnant about two months after taking a clerical job with Assurance Medical Services, a company owned by Neil Dhalla, "and that's when really everything started."

In her complaint to the rights tribunal, Zaffino says she held the job until March 31.

The complaint alleges that after Zaffino announced her pregnancy, a pattern of harassment began at work. The complaint describes how a co-worker almost pushed Zaffino down some stairs. It also describes how Neil Dhalla dealt with Zaffino's concerns.

"When I complained he told me that if it bothered me that much I could sue her — he didn't want to deal with that," Zaffino said.

The complaint goes on to describe how seven weeks before her maternity leave was set to begin, Zaffino was fired for making clerical mistakes. But in the complaint, Zaffino claims she was fired simply because she was seven-months pregnant.

The complaint also describes how the company's office manager told Zaffino the same had happened to other women employed by Neil Dhalla.

Some of the chatter in the CBC discussions says that this isn't fair, since it's not Ruby but the brother, she's not her brother's keeper, etc. What do people here think?

Sat, 2009-05-16 14:13

remind

It suggests he was too busy dealing with his own employees to have time to deal with Ruby's. ;)

Sat, 2009-05-16 16:18

KenS

Since he is the only possible culprit in this case, if Ruby could just somehow make a more convincing case that he was the one dealing with the household employee's, she'd have her perfect sacrifice to offer up.

Sat, 2009-05-16 17:47

remind

To do that, I guess she would have to time travel back and stop the phone call from Intercede demanding that she give back the woman's passport, and access the program for legal employment of foreign caregivers.

Sat, 2009-05-16 18:28

Tommy_Paine

Boy, this conspiracy gets bigger all the time.

Sat, 2009-05-16 19:41

Sineed

remind wrote:
It suggests he was too busy dealing with his own employees to have time to deal with Ruby's. ;)

lol!

And yes; between this and Mulroney, we need one of those popcorn-eating smilies.

Sat, 2009-05-16 20:48

ennir

I'm sensing a pattern.

Tue, 2009-05-19 09:02

Scott Piatkowski Scott Piatkowski's picture

Sineed wrote:
Some of the chatter in the CBC discussions says that this isn't fair, since it's not Ruby but the brother, she's not her brother's keeper, etc. What do people here think?

She made his understanding of employment standards an issue when she tried to hide behind him on the caregiver issue.

Tue, 2009-05-19 09:25

nussy

What does this have to do with Ruby? Give her a break. And it's an allegation yet to be proven right.

Tue, 2009-05-19 09:57

#10

remind

No she does not deserve a break just on the facts of the hiring of illegal employees, and the holding of passports, as a MP.

Tue, 2009-05-19 10:18

#11

ennir

nussy wrote:

What does this have to do with Ruby? Give her a break. And it's an allegation yet to be proven right.

LOL

Seriously, why does Ruby Dhalla deserve a break?

Tue, 2009-05-19 12:57

#12

madmax

Give her a break??? Give Ruby Dhalla a break? A break from what???

Tue, 2009-05-19 13:20

#13

remind

Translation "give the Liberals a break!" not Dhalla herself.

Tue, 2009-05-19 15:02

#14

Debater

There seems to be a lot of interest in the Dhalla story here. I think it should be investigated, but I don't think there should be more attention on it than the Mulroney inquiry (which is a very serious matter), and yet it has more threads on it.

As Lawrence Martin writes in his column today, the Dhalla story has also distracted attention away from the much more important developments in the Privy Council Office this month:

http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/230635--sun-king-of-subterfuge

Tue, 2009-05-19 15:59

#15

remind

Who replaced Kevin Lynch?

Tue, 2009-05-19 16:07

#16

ottawaobserver

Wayne Wouters. Originally from Saskatchewan.

Tue, 2009-05-19 16:18

#17

remind

Thanks, and what is his claim to fame, and why is Lynch gone?

Tue, 2009-05-19 18:07

#18

ottawaobserver

Oh, I couldn't possibly do that story justice, but just run a Google News search on the names Guy Giorno and Kevin Lynch for a wide variety of opinions. There are various theories about whether Giorno pushed Lynch out or not. Wouters is a capable career public servant who has served provincial and federal governments of at least 3 stripes to the best of my knowledge. One theory says that he is thought to be a good person to make sure the stimulus money gets out as quickly as possible, given the provisions of the Accountability Act. I can't claim to be very knowledgeable on the various speculations though.

Tue, 2009-05-19 18:08

#19

ottawaobserver

Guy Giorno is the PM's new chief of staff since last summer, btw.

Tue, 2009-05-19 18:23

#20

remind

Ok thanks!

Wed, 2009-05-20 09:16

#21

madmax

Debater wrote:
There seems to be a lot of interest in the Dhalla story here. I think it should be investigated, but I don't think there should be more attention on it than the Mulroney inquiry (which is a very serious matter), and yet it has more threads on it.

This thread is on Dhalla. That is Good. This is important.

Wed, 2009-05-20 10:22

#22

Debater

madmax wrote:

Debater wrote:
There seems to be a lot of interest in the Dhalla story here. I think it should be investigated, but I don't think there should be more attention on it than the Mulroney inquiry (which is a very serious matter), and yet it has more threads on it.

This thread is on Dhalla. That is Good. This is important.

Yes, I know that this particular thread is on Dhalla. That's why I posted a link to Lawrence Martin's column above where he asks whether the Dhalla matter deserves the amount of media attention it is getting. It deserves to be asked.

It is also suspicious timing that the matter came up the same week Mulroney is on the stand.

Wed, 2009-05-20 10:31

#23

remind

Of course it deserves it. Suggesting otherwise to me smacks of racial and classist plight disinterest!

Wed, 2009-05-20 10:38

#24

ocsi

Debater wrote:

It is also suspicious timing that the matter came up the same week Mulroney is on the stand.

Why suspicious? There's nothing wrong with the Conservatives and the Liberals getting bad press at the same time. Too bad the MSM doesn't oblige during an election!

Wed, 2009-05-20 11:25

#25

Debater

ocsi wrote:

Debater wrote:

It is also suspicious timing that the matter came up the same week Mulroney is on the stand.

Why suspicious? There's nothing wrong with the Conservatives and the Liberals getting bad press at the same time. Too bad the MSM doesn't oblige during an election!

People aren't saying it is wrong for both parties to get bad press at the same time - they are pointing out that it is very unlikely that the Dhalla matter just happens to come to the fore the same week as the Mulroney inquiry.

Wed, 2009-05-20 11:30

#26

ocsi

Debater wrote:

[/quote]

Are you suggesting that this could be a Conservative smear campaign? I wouldn't put it past them but smearing may not be necessary in the Dhalla case.

Wed, 2009-05-20 11:37

#27

remind

It just pisses me off that some are trying to smear these ladies coming forward against Dhalla, as being part of a Con smear campaign. It is pretty damn racist and sexist exploitation of them and their plight IMV.

Wed, 2009-05-20 11:58

#28

KenS

Bottom line: Kenney may well be stirring the pot, but the pot was already there.

Wed, 2009-05-20 13:20

#29

Debater

ocsi wrote:

Debater wrote:

People aren't saying it is wrong for both parties to get bad press at the same time - they are pointing out that it is very unlikely that the Dhalla matter just happens to come to the fore the same week as the Mulroney inquiry.

Are you suggesting that this could be a Conservative smear campaign? I wouldn't put it past them but smearing may not be necessary in the Dhalla case.

[/quote]

Several journalists are suggesting that the Conservatives have probably timed the Dhalla revelations deliberately, yes. I believe I was just reading either Lawrence Martin or John Ivison who said it is almost beyond coincidence that they came out during the Mulroney inquiry and the week that the Clerk of the Privy Council resigned. The latter especially is a story some people think Harper wants to hide from.

However, that doesn't mean Dhalla is innocent or that she should not be investigated, just that the revelations are unlikely to be coming out "naturally".

Wed, 2009-05-20 13:43

#30

remind

remind wrote:
It just pisses me off that some are trying to smear these ladies coming forward against Dhalla, as being part of a Con smear campaign. It is pretty damn racist and sexist exploitation of them and their plight IMV.

Wed, 2009-05-20 15:52

#31

madmax

Debater wrote:
it is also suspicious timing that the matter came up the same week Mulroney is on the stand.

The Dhalla affair is about exploiting foreign nannies and treating them with abuse.

To suggest a Conservative Conspiracy is absurd. How did they manage to get the Ontario Liberals to play the role of the keystone cops for them??? The aid service group that called DHalla Directly and told her to return the employees passport is part of any Conservative Conspiracy.

What sounds "suspicious" is the Liberal posturing that it is a Conservative Plot.

What is sad, is that more attention needs to be placed upon these foreign workers and their rights or we will continue to let wealthy people like Dhalla abuse them.

Wed, 2009-05-20 16:44

#32

Debater

I'm not saying the Dhalla allegations aren't true - I'm saying that several commentators find it suspicious that they came out when they did.

Wed, 2009-05-20 18:33

#33

remind

Then they are still stating that these women are part of a conspiracy. And that is such a BS exploitation of them for Liberal propaganda purposes that it isn't even funny!

Wed, 2009-05-20 19:32

#34

Fidel

Debater wrote:

I'm not saying the Dhalla allegations aren't true - I'm saying that several commentators find it suspicious that they came out when they did.

The Liberals are in no hurry to go to the polls. It's over 70-some odd confidence votes for herr Harper later already. What's the rush?

Wed, 2009-05-20 21:48

#35

ottawaobserver

As to the timing of the stories, it was a story in the Toronto Star that broke open the allegations. There are a lot of things I wouldn't put past the Conservatives in general and Jason Kenney in particular, but I highly doubt they are capable of influencing the editorial policy and timing of a story at the Toronto Star. Sometimes (un)fortunate coincidences are just coincidences.

Thu, 2009-05-21 18:43

#36

RevolutionPlease RevolutionPlease's picture

[url=http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2009/05/21/9529081-cp.html]Woman retracts letter of support for Dhalla[/url]

Quote:
She now claims she was "misled by not being provided with sufficient information to make an appropriate decision" about signing the first missive.

She said the initial statement was written by Dhalla's office and she simply agreed to sign it, without reading it thoroughly and without being aware of the seriousness of the allegations against the MP.

She also claims the statement misrepresented her as president of the senior's club. She is no longer president and has no authority to speak for the club - a point which she said she made clear to the Dhalla aide who asked her to sign the missive.

"I hereby request that Ms. Dhalla stop claiming that she has the support of the Brampton Filipino Seniors Club and me," she writes.

"Both claims are false and should not be used in her defence in this inquiry."