Director resigns after CBC investigation into how Ontario camp handled sexual assault reports

A longtime director at a popular Ontario overnight camp has resigned following a CBC News investigation into how the camp handled reports of sexual assault and misconduct in recent years. 

Pete Thistlethwaite worked as a full-time director of Camp Wahanowin, on the shores of Lake Couchiching near Orillia, Ont., for more than two decades. 

His resignation comes after former employees described to CBC News a toxic and hyper-sexualized hookup culture at the camp and another camp running on the same grounds  — which they say directors knew about and Thistlethwaite normalized by participating in the gossip around who was sleeping with whom. 

That environment, along with the way ex-employees say camp leadership handled seven reports of sexual assault since 2013 and the lack of industry-specific provincial oversight of overnight camps, left many former staff members worried about the safety of female campers and staff.

Former employees detailed examples of how Thistlethwaite specifically handled reports of sexual misconduct and assault to CBC News. 

Those examples included warnings made to him about a male employee sleeping with underage staff two years before that employee was arrested at camp for luring and possession of child pornography.

There was also an instance where a female worker reported being sexually assaulted to Thistlethwaite, who allowed the alleged perpetrator to stay at his home after the former employee was told to leave camp. 

Thistlethwaite didn't respond to a request for comment on his resignation, and previously declined to comment on those reports, and others, from ex-staffers.

In an email to the "Wahanowin family and community" on Nov. 5 obtained by CBC News, the camp said it had accepted Thistlethwaite's and his wife's resignations as directors.

"It is always difficult to say goodbye to anyone at camp, but especially a family who has dedicated their entire career to one place," said the email. 

The email also included a brief summary of changes the new head directors, Elijah Geller and Tia Wintre, say they've made since taking over leadership of the camp from owners Bruce and Patti Nashman in August 2020.

Those changes include updating the camp's harassment and abuse policy and reporting structure, child abuse policy, and screening and hiring practices.

Camp Wahanowin and National Music Camp, which is also owned by the Nashmans and runs on the same property, are facing a lawsuit from two former campers who later worked there. The two women are suing in Ontario Superior Court for $750,000 each. 

They claim the camps were negligent in failing to change the "sexualized camp environments," which the lawsuit says allowed three male staff members to engage in "illegal and immoral sexual activities with children who were under their supervision."