National museum CEO leaves role after report alleged she mistreated staff for over a decade

The CEO of one of Canada's national museums retired Thursday after a damning report accused her of mistreating staff over the course of a decade and using inappropriate language including calling a senior leadership team 'sluts.'

A letter sent to stakeholders and staff at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax said Marie Chapman was leaving her role immediately.

"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," wrote the museum's board of trustees chairperson Cynthia Price Verreault on Thursday.

CBC News first reported on the findings of the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner Wednesday night. The report accused Chapman of serious code of conduct breaches that threatened the "confidence in the integrity of the public sector, and specifically the museum."

Chapman was appointed as CEO by the Harper government in 2011 and subsequently reappointed by the Trudeau government in 2016 and 2021 with a salary of up to $221,700.

Her four-year term expired in October, but the museum's board of trustees contracted Chapman for a 90-day transitional term that's up in January, the federal government said.

Chapman told the commissioner she disagrees with the findings of her report.

Investigation launched in 2023

The commissioner launched an investigation in 2023 into allegations against Chapman. The final report released Wednesday accuses Chapman of a pattern of behaviour involving staff that impacted some people so deeply they reported contemplating self-harm.

The report said that Chapman directly violated the federal government's values by using her power to "strike fear into employees" so they were too afraid to raise concerns because she was in the most senior role at the museum.

The report also claims that along with yelling and mistreating staff, Chapman used inappropriate language.

Chapman referred to a senior leadership team, or SLT for short, using the term "sluts" including in public and in front of museum staff, the report said. She told a delegation from another country "I call them sluts" while laughing about it, the investigation found.

She also ranked women working at the museum by age, said there are "no good-looking men" at the museum and referred to some staff by pseudonyms about how they looked or acted which led to "hurtful nicknames," the report said.

The museum's board of trustees says it "acknowledges" the integrity commissioner's report and is treating the matter "with the utmost urgency."

"We accept the commissioner's findings and are taking action immediately, working in partnership with government," Price Verreault wrote in the letter.

The chairperson wrote the museum will move ahead with the commissioner's recommendation to bring in an external expert to assess employees' wellness and find ways to support them.

Price Verreault thanked Chapman for her service.

"The board expresses its appreciation to Ms. Chapman for her more than 22 years of dedicated service to the museum," she wrote.

Effective immediately Fiona Valverde, vice-president of revenue generation, is taking over responsibility for the museum's day-to-day operations, Price Verreault wrote.

In her response to the report, Chapman raised concerns about the impartiality, objectivity and fairness of the investigation.

Chapman said she never threatened anyone's employment or fostered a climate of fear. She did admit to calling a senior leadership team "sluts," but said she "considered myself part of the group."

Marc Miller, the minister of Canadian identity and culture, called the report "alarming" on Thursday morning before staff were notified of Chapman's departure.

"I think if anything in that report is indeed accurate, it's certainly grounds for the board to take action and to make sure that the CEO is disciplined," Miller said.