La description

In 1977, Bonnie Robichaud accepted a job at the Department of Defence military base in North Bay, Ontario. After a string of dead-end jobs, with five young children at home, Robichaud was ecstatic to have found a unionized job with steady pay, benefits, and vacation time.

After her supervisor began to sexually harass and intimidate her, her story could have followed the same course as countless women before her: endure, stay silent, and eventually quit. Instead, Robichaud filed a complaint after her probation period was up. When a high-ranking officer said she was the only one who had ever complained, Robichaud said, “Good. Then it should be easy to fix.”

This timely and revelatory memoir follows her gruelling eleven-year fight for justice, which was won in the Supreme Court of Canada. The unanimous decision set a historic legal precedent that employers are responsible for maintaining a respectful and harassment-free workplace. Robichaud’s story is a landmark piece of Canadian labour history—one that is more relevant today than ever.

Récompenses

  • Winner, Independent Publisher Book Award Bronze Medalist, Women's Issues 2023
  • Short-listed, Ottawa Book Awards, English Non-fiction 2023

Reviews

"I had tears of joy in my eyes when I finished the book. Why? Because Robichaud had the courage to revisit the humiliation and is proud she secured rights for all women. Because union sisters who supported her activism changed labour movement culture and now our brothers stand with us. And because, with women like her as inspiration, we still fight."

- Nancy Janovicek