Canada’s biggest media figures jump to support Jennifer Valentyne after her explosive allegations

In today’s climate, demeaning and misogynistic behaviour will come back to burn you. Just ask long-time Toronto radio personality John Derringer. In the wake of an explosive revelations made against him by fellow media powerhouse Jennifer Valentyne, he’s now on a hiatus from his job. 

Last week, celebrated Toronto broadcast personality Valentyne released an explosive video on her social media channels that detailed accounts of allegations of workplace sexism and bullying by former co-host Derringer. Valentyne was the co-host of popular radio show Derringer in the Morning before she was let go and moved into another role. 

In a video that’s nearly 13 minutes long, Valentyne holds nothing back. In it, she reveals that she has filed a gender discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Commission against a former employer. 

While Valentyne doesn’t explicitly name her former cohost or former companies of employment, it’s clear to anyone in the know who she was talking about. She details incidents that took place during her time at Global News Morning and Q107, two media outlets owned by Corus Entertainment. 

The video hits hard from the first few seconds. Especially if you’re a female in the media industry. 

“What would you do if a co-worker screamed at you, belittled you, called you names, shut you out, brought you to tears, and then laughed when he told you to cry all you want? That he didn’t feel one bit sorry for you, and let you know with utter conviction that if you went to HR, they would choose him?,” says Valentyne at the start of the video. 

“Would you take a dream job working as a radio host if you knew you would be working with a co-host with accusations of prior abusive behaviour towards women and that you would also be exposed to two, sometimes three men vaping in an enclosed room for four hours a day with no ventilation? Would you complain about it?” she continues.

The overarching theme of the video is the relentless gender discrimination in the workplace that Valentyne – like so many other women in the industry (and in many others, for that matter) – has faced. 

“Like so many women, I have put up and shut up,” she says. “But there was one thing I just couldn’t put up with; a company that was willing to put my physical health in jeopardy.” Valentyne accounts how her three coworkers at Q107 would vape inside the small radio room, despite her complaints to management. Valenyne says she subsequently developed a chronic cough and lost her voice twice.

She was given an inhaler and steroids from medical professionals to help manage.

Valentyne documents how she’d throw up most mornings before she entered the radio room, would cry in the bathroom during songs, and would slip into the studio right before the show started to avoid being exposed to the smoky air for any longer than was necessary. 

Valentyne says there were bets on how long she’d last on the show and was eventually told would be placed in another job, moving from radio back to TV. The job paid less and offered fewer benefits and less vacation time. She says she didn’t want to accept the new position and say goodbye to the job she “had been hired to do.”

Nonetheless, Valentyne accepted the job and worked relentlessly at the role, going above and beyond – reflected in everything working off-hours to buying flowers each week for the studio. And ratings started to increase as a result. Despite this, it wasn’t long before she was fired and told she was a “fluff” journalist. 

As a result, she was depressed and took time away from the spotlight to focus on her healing. And part of this healing and reflection time resulted in the filing of the formal complaint. 

On Tuesday, a Q107 spokesperson released a statement addressing the allegations: 

“We are aware that Ms. Valentyne has voiced concerns about her time in the broadcasting industry, including from her time with us,” it reads. “A few years ago, Ms. Valentyne’s shared certain concerns and we took action to review at that time. There is also a process underway with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. We have had mediated conversations with her, been responsive to proceedings, and we are waiting determination of next steps. We take these matters seriously and look forward to a resolution.

“Over the past two days we have received new information about workplace concerns in our station. We have referred these to our ethics and conduct team and have retained Rachel Turnpenney from Turnpenney Milne LLP to conduct an external investigation. Effective immediately the show Derringer in the Morning will be on hiatus pending the conclusion of the investigation. Any concerns involving employee experience are of the utmost importance to us and we are committed to listen, learn and take any appropriate action.”

In addition to the specific allegations against Corus, Valenyne outlines other misogynistic things she’s been told throughout her years in the industry – things that touch upon everything from her age and appearance, to her decision to have a baby. And it’s hard to hear.

As for Valentyne’s peers – many of them famous faces on Canada’s broadcast scene – were quit to lend their support. Many of them expressed a similar sentiment with regards to their own career experience. Notables female media powerhouses like Tracy Moore (City Line), Melissa Grelo (The Social), Cheryl Hickey (ET Canada), Dina Pugliese (Breakfast Television), Pooja Handa (CHFI), and Taylor Kaye (CHUM 104.5) all commented on the post, praising Valentyne for speaking out.

Notably, other females who have worked with Derringer were quick to publicly back Valentyne. 

Current and former radio personalities Andrea Rooz, Teri Hart, and Raina Douris have since come forward with similar stories about their experience on Derringer in the Morning. Derringer’s former co-host, Maureen Holloway, retweeted Valentyne, writing “This is brave and true. I back Jennifer up 100 percent.”

It takes voices like Valentyne’s to (finally) act as a catalyst for lasting change – in the media industry and beyond.