Report finds Parole Board did not address board member’s ‘unwanted advances’ at work

A former member of the Parole Board of Canada has been found to have breached government codes of conduct by making “unwanted advances” towards female employees, according to a report by Canada’s public sector integrity commissioner.

Commissioner Harriet Solloway’s report, tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, revealed that Michael Sanford, a former member of the Parole Board, repeatedly made inappropriate advances towards female employees over an eight-year period. This behavior included touching, inappropriate comments, unsolicited phone calls, and text messages.

The report also highlighted that the Parole Board of Canada failed to respond to and document reports of Sanford’s misconduct, leading to gross mismanagement and endangering the health and safety of employees. Despite reports of his behavior in 2015, Sanford was reappointed for a second term in 2020 and continued to behave inappropriately towards female employees.

Sanford, who was first appointed to the parole board in 2014 and reappointed in 2020, resigned in 2022 after a judicial inquiry was recommended by then Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. The report detailed incidents dating back to 2014 and 2015, where Sanford flirted with employees, made physical advances, and engaged in inappropriate behavior.

One employee went on sick leave due to stress after receiving unwanted text messages and phone calls from Sanford, despite reporting the incidents to management. Another employee reported that Sanford sang a romantic song and kissed her on the lips during a holiday lunch in 2019.

Solloway emphasized the seriousness of misconduct of a sexual nature in the workplace and criticized the Parole Board for trivializing Sanford’s behavior. She recommended that the board implement processes to assess the past workplace behavior of prospective members, establish procedures to address harassment, and conduct a management review of its Ontario Regional Office in Kingston.

In response to the report, the Parole Board’s communications adviser, Marie-Lynne Robineau, stated that the board’s senior leadership is committed to complying with the recommendations and taking necessary follow-up actions to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees.