Fired press secretary sues Manitoba government

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/12/2024 (464 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The former press secretary to Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine and Housing Minister Bernadette Smith has filed a lawsuit claiming racial discrimination played a part in her being fired.

Shondell Orinthia Babb is asking for damages for wrongful dismissal, as well as unspecified punitive, aggravated and special damages, in a statement of claim filed in Manitoba Court of King’s Bench on Dec. 13.

“The termination of her employment by the (government) without notice was wrongful as the (government) did not in fact have just cause to terminate her without notice,” the suit claims.

“Furthermore, (Babb) says that the treatment she received from the (government) was racially motivated and amounted to discrimination on the protected characteristic of race under the human rights code.”

The documents say the plaintiff has suffered psychological and mental distress.

A lawyer in the firm that represents Babb said no further comment would be made.

No statement of defence has been filed, but a cabinet spokesman released a statement.

“We are committed to making sure all employees are treated with respect and maintaining a diverse, inclusive workplace. We cannot offer comment on this specific case as it is before the courts.”

Babb, whom the lawsuit describes as “an African-Canadian female journalist with extensive experience in the media and communications industry,” was hired on Oct. 18, 2023, the day Wab Kinew officially became premier shortly after the NDP won a majority government.

Ministerial press secretaries are hired directly by the party in power, as opposed to departmental communication staff who are non-political civil servants.

According to the statement of claim, Babb’s contract was on a full-time, indefinite basis and the government had the right to transfer her into “alternate management or advisory positions.” She was earning $84,560 per year.

The lawsuit claims Babb did her job “diligently and faithfully at all times, often working long hours without additional compensation.”

Babb was listed on the cabinet communications portfolio assignments list that sent to media outlets on Nov. 22, 2023, as being the press secretary for the ministers of families, housing, and advanced education and training.

On April 15, 2024, Babb was still listed as having the advanced education and training portfolio, with the education and early childhood learning added to her responsibilities, but the families and housing responsibilities had been shifted to other press secretaries.

By Oct. 1, 2024, Babb was no longer listed.

The lawsuit claims Babb was moved from her press secretary position to be executive assistant to the minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism and was told it “better aligns with (her) skill-set.”

“No other reason was provided for why (Babb), with extensive experience in media and communications, was suddenly and unilaterally being removed from her position as press secretary and placed into an administrative role.”

Her suit says she received a letter, dated May 29, 2024, from Mark Rosner, Kinew’s chief of staff, telling her she was being fired immediately because she had violated the government’s code of conduct and respectful workplace policy during a workplace conversation with two co-workers a few days earlier. One of the co-workers had filed a complaint about the conversation.

The suit says Babb denies that she violated the policy.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca