Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Chaplains intimidated others: priest
THE priest in charge of the chaplains at St. Boniface General Hospital says one of his employees was nicknamed "Attila the Nun" and another lost his temper after not getting his $10 stipend for saying mass.Father Gerry Ward, the spiritual care director at the hospital, made the remarks while testifying Tuesday at an arbitration hearing over a grievance alleging he bullied, harassed and verbally abused three of the hospital chaplains.
Fr. Roland Lanoie, Sister Jeannine Corbeil and Rev. Carlyle Murrell-Cole say when they complained, they were branded troublemakers and had their careers threatened. They are members of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.
Corbeil testified earlier that Ward played favourites, courted gossip and caused a rift among the chaplains.
She said he yelled at her in front of the other chaplains before prayers one day when she asked a fellow chaplain a question. She said he told her later in private that her size and anger intimidated patients and the priest she had been speaking to earlier.
Ward denied he ever made comments about Corbeil's size, but told her she intimidated the other chaplains and that they called her "Attila the Nun" behind her back.
When Corbeil said she wanted to discuss the name calling at a staff meeting, Ward said he refused. "I said it would be like murder for you," said Ward. "... She'd be placing herself out on a limb."
The hearing began in May and will continue through December.
Ward said he suggested Corbeil seek counselling for her anger.
He said another of his accusers was also intimidating members of the spiritual care staff. Ward said Lanoie was rude to the department's administrative assistant, Claire David, when she forgot to email him the work schedule for the week. He said Lanoie was rude to the assistant again when she told him there would be no $10 stipend for a mass that he had done.
"His demeanour was just a little bit over the top for $10," said Ward.
The hearing continues today.
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 25, 2009 A8
- Rate this

-
-
We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.
You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.
Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.
The comment period for this story has ended.
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
-
Working in Winnipeg
A close-up look at the jobs people do and why they do them
-
Helping Haiti
Where to make donations
-
Open Secrets
Red River students mine government data banks
-
Ski with WFP
Register here to ski Asessippi with the Winnipeg Free Press
-
Random Acts of Kindness
Your encounters with goodness
Poll
Most Popular
- No peace for dead girl's mom
- Murder charges against top CFB Trenton officer leave military community reeling
- Patient died after fall from operating table
- Should have been listening, Tiger
- Bombers sue Aerosmith for cancelled concert
- Checking out sex show all part of journalist's job
- No support for Winnipeg's 'Homeless Hero' in days before attack: stepdaughter
- Body found in Delta airplane wheel well after arriving in Tokyo from New York
- Larger garbage carts may become available
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- Woman arrested in Faron Hall beating
- Pilot burnt plane as signal before walking to shore
- Storm warning issued
- Built-in text messages ruined life, says city man
- LaPolice named as Bomber head coach
- City streets very slippery; several vehicles involved in crashes
- 26 cats too many, woman told
- Car stolen at gunpoint recovered
- No peace for dead girl's mom
- Guns N' Roses show a massive rock 'n' roll spectacle
- Extended family pulls together
- Two dead after crash on Bishop Grandin
- Water pressure drop caused by power outage: city
- Avoid Perimeter: RCMP
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- Winter storm warnings issued for Winnipeg, southern Manitoba
- Woman arrested in Faron Hall beating
- Pilot burnt plane as signal before walking to shore
- Cheap Vancouver rentals, if tiny's OK
- Larger garbage carts may become available
- Take one downtown, fill it with people
- No support for Winnipeg's 'Homeless Hero' in days before attack: stepdaughter
- No peace for dead girl's mom
- Got more trash? It'll cost you
- Bombers sue Aerosmith for cancelled concert
- MPI playing politics with poll question: Tories
- Bad cocaine results in grave illness, hospitalization
- Murder charges against top CFB Trenton officer leave military community reeling
- Prominence proving costly to Hall: friend
- 300 pounds of marijuana found in semi
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- LaPolice named as Bomber head coach
- Sick days spike during blizzard
- Woman arrested in Faron Hall beating
- 26 cats too many, woman told
- Car stolen at gunpoint recovered
- Shielding buyers, or 'cash grab'?
- Bad cocaine results in grave illness, hospitalization
- Built-in text messages ruined life, says city man
- 300 pounds of marijuana found in semi
- Girl not a bully, shouldn't have been suspended, says mom
- Arrest tape kills auto-theft case
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- Don't dock students for missing deadlines: NDP
- Alleged mobsters seek to stay
- RCMP investigating after video shows police beating suspect
- U.S. fighter slams Canada's 'Third World' health system
- LaPolice named as Bomber head coach
- Drunk cop crashes motorbike, gets fined
- Iran playing its hand
- Checking out sex show all part of journalist's job
- Site for parents' sore eyes
- Patient died after fall from operating table
- Happy 111th birthday to oldest Manitoban
- Soft drinks hike pancreatic cancer risk: study
- No peace for dead girl's mom
- Real-estate association's rules challenged by federal competition watchdog
- First female boss for Destination Winnipeg
- Friendly credit union to open first city branch
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- LaPolice named as Bomber head coach
- Cat came back: 14 years later
- 26 cats too many, woman told
- A super-lab to fight superbugs
- Zoning memorandums to cost sellers up to $180
- Hutterite biography to debut despite legal chill
- Pilot burnt plane as signal before walking to shore
- Built-in text messages ruined life, says city man
- Happy 111th birthday to oldest Manitoban
- 'Tough guys' wanted as film extras
- Nylons still smooth as silk
- Bath & Body Works coming to St. Vital
- Little boy left cold, crying outside locked daycare
- Cat came back: 14 years later
- Guns N' Roses show a massive rock 'n' roll spectacle
- Winnipeg desserts are a piece of cake
- LaPolice named as Bomber head coach
- VIDEO: A winter wonderland?
- Harper really is dangerous
PREVIOUS

4 Comments
Posted by: visitor
November 29, 2009 at 12:26 AM
This is my response to J who says she/he fails to see the need to publish this article. This does not strike me as the response of someone who thinks clearly and objectively in an effort to get to the truth of things. J, you may bury your head in the sand if it feels more comfortable there. It is my opinion however, that the Free Press is doing the right thing by publishing the article.
Making public the disgraceful goings on at SBGH raises the public's awareness of the Hospital's willingness to tolerate bullying by managers. Hopefully it will also challenge (or shame) the Hospital into examining its hiring practices.
Publication also helps others who are bullied or harassed in their own workplace to know that they are not alone, and that steps can be taken to redress the wrong that is being done to them. When a Union decides to file a grievance on behalf of an employee, you may be sure that it is not done lightly and that all the necessary steps to resolve the situation have already been taken, to no avail.
In the case of St. Boniface Hospital, one excellent chaplain found employment at another facility, while the other took early retirement. Going through a grievance process is not easy. Congratulations to the three chaplains who are risking much in their fight for justice. May the outcome be in their favor and may other Administrations and managers take heed! Congratulations also, to the Free Press for its service to the public. As for you, J, think and learn.
Posted by: Maggiejoy
November 25, 2009 at 8:03 PM
The reason this is not surprising news to people is because harassment and badgering goes on all the time in workplaces and it is ignored. While the Manager in this case sounds like a bit of jerk to work for, the real blame lies at the feet of the WRHA. They have all kind of written policies against harassment, but it occurs everyday in all of their facilities. I feel sorry for good people who work for this organization but aren't free from intimidation and fear at work.
Posted by: FreePress no longer believes in Free speech!
November 25, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Boring. You're publishing this simply because religious folks shouldn't argue? C'mon FP, find some real news.
Posted by: j
November 25, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Carol, I fail to see your need to publish this. Workplace grievances happen all the time, everywhere. why is this one making news??