CP24 anchor Patricia Jaggernauth launches human rights complaint against Bell Media

In a statement emailed Saturday, Bell Media said it cannot comment on matters involving current or former staff.

TORONTO — Longtime on-air television personality and CP24 weather specialist Patricia Jaggernauth has filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission against Bell Media, alleging systemic discrimination throughout her 11-year career.

Jaggernauth’s complaint, launched on Wednesday and first reported by CBC, makes allegations of discrimination based on race, gender and disability by Bell, her former employer. The Toronto-based media company owns cable news network CP24. In the complaint, Jaggernauth alleges Bell continually passed her over for promotions and attempted to restrict her ability to freelance outside the company despite never offering her a full-time job.

“She has been used as a token and commodity when it is convenient and beneficial,” the Toronto-based reporter’s complaint reads. Jaggernauth identifies as being of Guyanese and Jamaican ancestry on social media.

“And Bell now wants to own her likeness and her career, despite putting her in a position where she cannot earn a living wage despite giving 11 years of her career to the company.”

In a statement emailed Saturday, Bell Media said it cannot comment on matters involving current or former staff.

“Bell Media takes allegations of any potential discrimination very seriously, and are committed to a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment where employees can thrive,” the statement said. “If a matter is brought to our attention where an employee did not feel adequately supported, a process is triggered to review and address when required.”

In the complaint, Jaggernauth alleges Bell Media only offers her two days of paid employment per week, and she therefore earned most of her income doing freelance work. Her complaint alleges the company enforced a term this past summer that she could not perform any paid activities outside of the company without management’s approval.

“Bell has done this while at the same time denying (Jaggernauth) promotions she has earned and is qualified for, and while refusing to provide her with full-time work,” the complaint reads. The complaint details a number of positions she was allegedly denied “for no justifiable basis.”