Former Canucks coaching staff member files human rights complaint against organization

The first woman hired to the Vancouver Canucks’ coaching staff has filed a human rights complaint against the organization claiming that she was discriminated against on the basis of gender and disability.

Rachel Doerrie shared the appendix section of the complaint filed with the BC Human Rights Tribunal by her lawyer, Peter Gall, on her Twitter account.

In the tweet, she says “the past two months have been very hard for me. It has mentally and emotionally destroyed me. I feel broken. I am done hiding.”

This comes after Doerrie was fired from her role with the team in September, less than two month after being promoted.

The past 2 months has been very hard for me. It has mentally and emotionally destroyed me. I feel broken. I am done hiding.https://t.co/PeqLg6ElMF

— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) November 27, 2022

According to the document she shared, Doerrie claims she was discriminated against for factors including “the lack of female representation, and representation of people with mental and physical disabilities, in the professional hockey world generally,” and the “unreasonable and flimsy pretext” for her firing.

Canucks Sports and Entertainment tells CityNews it disagrees with the claims.

“We strongly disagree with the allegations brought forth by Ms. Doerrie. Our organization provided Ms. Doerrie with all the necessary resources, support and opportunities to succeed in her role. We acted in good faith and abided by our contractual obligations, both during and after Ms. Doerrie’s employment with the organization. As this is a legal matter, we will respond accordingly at the proper time.”

The document says that Doerrie was initially hired as an analyst in January 2022, and later received a promotion in August to be an analyst and assistant to the Canucks’ video coach.

But her time with the Canucks was short-lived, as she was fired from her role eight months after starting with the team.

Doerrie says she reported to Emilie Castonguay, the assistant general manager for the team, who was hired a few months after Doerrie started.

FILE – Rogers Arena, the home of the Vancouver Canucks. (Dustin Godfrey for CityNews)

In the week leading up to her termination, the document claims Doerrie was called into Castonguay’s office after reposting an article from The Province on her social media.

“Castonguay raised a concern with Ms. Doerrie reposting the article on her social media account, and with Ms. Doerrie speaking to the media,” the document reads.

Doerrie says she “had not disclosed her promotion or any confidential information to the media, including to the person who had written the article.”

The article was written by her friend, Patrick Johnston. The document says Johnston had texted Doerrie statements made by Canucks head coach Bruce Boudreau, complimenting Doerrie’s abilities.

When Doerrie said this to Castonguay, the document alleges that Castonguay responded by saying, “You’re not important enough to be cared about,” and “no one in the media is your friend.”

“Castonguay told Ms. Doerrie: ‘I don’t know if you have what it takes to do the job, mentally,'” the document added.

But in a statement to CityNews, Castonguay says the allegations are “false.”

“I take a lot of pride in my work with the Vancouver Canucks, being a good leader, a person of high moral character, and always respecting and putting my co-workers first. These allegations by Ms. Doerrie are absolutely not true and her allegations of what I said to her are false and inaccurate. At no time was Ms. Doerrie treated differently due to gender, a mental disability or a physical condition. As this is a legal matter, I will not make any further comments and will respect the process,” she said.

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Doerrie claims the comment about her mental well-being was related to her long-standing diagnosis with a mental illness.

Doerrie was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) in 2018, with associated panic and anxiety attacks and depression. She also lives with the heart condition vasovagal syncope and a leaky heart valve.

Before being hired by the Canucks, Doerrie says she “disclosed her mental and physical disability to them in the interview process, including details of ‘triggers’ and how her illness presented themselves.”

After the conversation with Castonguay, the document says Doerrie’s conditions were triggered. It adds she had several cardiac events that led her to seek medical treatment during the team’s training camp in Whistler from Sept. 21 to 24.

Doerrie is said to have then met with the human resources department on Sept. 27, where she says she outlined the events of the conversation.

Fired from the job

“Ms. Castonguay had ‘crossed the line’ with the comments that she had made” about her “mental ability to perform the job,” the claim says. Doerrie says she was fired a few hours after the conversation by Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin.

“Mr. Allvin terminated Ms. Doerrie’s employment with the Canucks based on the information he had received from Ms. Castonguay,” the claim says.

“He further stated that although Ms. Doerrie was being terminated without cause, the Canucks had cause to terminate Ms. Doerrie for speaking to the media about her promotion.”

Doerrie’s claim adds that “at no time had anyone with the Canucks expressed any negative comments” about her job performance.

“It is clear, based on all of the circumstances of this case, that Ms. Doerrie’s sex and physical and mental disabilities played a role in the termination of her employment.”

It also claims Doerrie “suffered damage to her dignity, self-esteem, and physical and mental health resulting from Ms. Castonguay’s comments,” and that the termination could affect future job prospects because of damage to her reputation.

Editor’s note: this article has been updated to clarify the complaint was filed with the BC Human Rights Tribunal.