Catherine Pike

The Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) brought a motion to intervene as a friend of the court in an application for judicial review of a Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario decision.

The underlying application was brought by the College of Nurses of Ontario.

The court dismissed the motion, finding that HPARB's participation was not necessary to assist the court, as other parties were well-equipped to address the relevant issues.

Furthermore, the court noted that HPARB's proposed submissions were inappropriately adversarial for a quasi-judicial tribunal.

The complainant alleged that her employer sexually harassed her, made sexual solicitations, and terminated her employment in reprisal for rejecting his advances.

The Board of Inquiry found the complainant's evidence credible and corroborated by witnesses, while rejecting the respondent's denials and attacks on the complainant's character.

The Board concluded that the respondent violated the Human Rights Code by sexually harassing the complainant, subjecting her to sexual solicitation, and firing her in reprisal.

The respondent was ordered to pay $1,000 for lost wages and $3,500 for general damages.