OTTAWA—A third-party investigation concluded last year that the head of Canada’s Arctic research agency harassed the organization’s award-winning chief scientist at work, the Star and National Observer have learned. A source with knowledge of the harassment claim — who spoke on condition of anonymity — said David Scott, president and chief executive officer of Polar Knowledge Canada (known as POLAR), was found to have harassed Martin Raillard.The Star and National Observer were unable to confirm the exact nature of the workplace harassment, but the federal government’s Treasury Board defines such conduct as “normally a series of incidents” that can include comments and acts that “demean, belittle or cause personal humiliation or embarrassment.” It can also be “any act of intimidation or threat,” the Treasury Board says.The source said the harassment allegations against Scott were investigated at the request of officials at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), the department that oversaw POLAR at the time.Raillard said in an email that he is “subject to a confidentiality agreement and not able to speak to the media.”Two other public servants who have worked with Scott said they experienced his mistreatment in the past.Jean-Marie Beaulieu, a high-ranking federal scientist who worked for him from 2012 to 2014, said he was forced into early retirement by Scott’s alleged “bullying” and “harassment.”Peter Outridge, who worked for Scott at the Geological Survey of Canada, won a grievance against him at the public service labour relations board in 2015 after Scott refused his request to attend an Arctic science conference. In an email, Outridge described Scott’s management style as “vindictive” and “dismissive.”Spokespersons from Indigenous Services and Crown-Indigenous Relations — the two federal departments tha ...
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