The CEO of a Canadian national stepped down on Thursday following a special commissioner’s determination that she had mistreated staff throughout her decade-long tenure, using slurs and misogynistic language to refer to senior leadership.
“In early December as the board was gaining a better understanding of the report—its timing, content and the expectations of government—the board confirmed CEO Marie Chapman’s decision to retire, and effective today, she has stepped away from her role,” Cynthia Price Verreault, chair of the Museum of Immigration at Pier 21’s board of trustees, wrote in a letter to stakeholders and staff on Thursday.
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The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner released the findings of its investigations into Chapman on Wednesday night, as first reported by CBC. The report accused Chapman of “serious code of conduct breaches” that jeopardized the “confidence in the integrity of the public sector, and specifically the museum.”
Chapman was appointed CEO under former Canadian prime minister Stephen J. Harper was reappointed by the Trudeau government in 2016 and 2021. Her four-year contract expired in October, however the museum’s board of trustees had granted her a 90-day transitional term that would have concluded in January, according to the CBC.
The commissioner’s investigation, launched in 2023, centered around workplace misconduct that was reportedly so severe that some staff told investigators they had contemplated self-harm. Chapman was accused of violating the federal government’s core values by using her position to “strike fear into employees” leaving them too intimidated to report concerns. According to the report, Chapman referred to the senior leadership team—commonly abbreviated as SLT—as “sluts” in front of the public, other staff, and even a visiting foreign delegation. She also reportedly ranked female employees by age, commented that there were “no good-looking men” at the museum, and bestowed “hurtful nicknames” based on staff’s behavior or appearances.
The museum’s board of trustees told CBC it “acknowledges” the report and is addressing the matter “with the utmost urgency.”
“We accept the commissioner’s findings and are taking action immediately, working in partnership with the government,” Price Verreault wrote in the letter, thanking Chapman for her “22 years of dedicated service.”
In her response, Chapman challenged the report’s impartiality and denied fostering a workplace culture of fear and humiliation. She admitted, however, to calling the senior leadership team “sluts,” saying she considered herself part of the group and intended no disrespect.
“During my nearly two decades at the museum, my conduct and performance have never been questioned by the board, to whom I report,” Chapman wrote, as quoted by the CBC. “Year after year, I have achieved excellent ratings under the Privy Council Office’s performance management system. I have not received any warnings, disciplinary actions or negative evaluations, nor have I been subject to performance management measures. My performance has consistently met and exceeds the expectations of the board.”
Marc Miller, Canada’s identity and culture, described Chapman’s departure as “developing news, but most likely the right move.”
