Celtic Colours board of directors fired amid allegations of 'toxic' environment
CTV
On Saturday, members of the society that runs the Celtic Colours International Festival - an October tradition on Cape Breton Island since 1997 - fired its entire board of directors.
A Nova Scotia music festival known around the world for its Celtic talent and colourful views is caught up in a controversy.
On Saturday, members of the society that runs the Celtic Colours International Festival - an October tradition on Cape Breton Island since 1997 - fired its entire board of directors.
Musician J.P. Cormier, who has performed in Celtic Colours for years, said it's about time.
"Just disgusted, and at the same time, elated that the society decided to can these guys," Cormier said on Tuesday. "I've watched the staff at the office in Sydney for years now, literally some of them in tears because they can't get anything done because the board just fights them on every turn."
"The words they used to us were, 'It's become toxic. I can't do this anymore,'" said Jackie Scott, a Celtic Colours Festival Society member and former board chair.
Scott says there has been a large exodus of employees and the problems included management competency issues that affected the product and visitor experience.
"When they (visitors and sponsors) start commenting, 'This is not what they expected. It's not like what it used to be,'" Scott said. "There were failings that they were seeing in terms of the management, not the artistic stuff."
