Federal Court Upholds Harassment Findings Against Top Court Administrator
The chief executive officer of Courts Administration Services (CAS) has been found to have engaged in workplace harassment through her mismanagement of an employee complaint, according to a recent Federal Court decision that has sent shockwaves through Canada's justice administration system.
Darlene Carreau, the chief administrator and CEO of the federal agency responsible for supporting Canada's court system, faced serious allegations after an investigation concluded her actions met the threshold for workplace harassment and violence. The findings stem from her handling of a complaint filed by Lucia Fevrier-President, a public servant with 25 years of service.
Background of the Workplace Conflict
The situation began in February 2022 when Fevrier-President came under the supervision of a new director at CAS. According to court documents, the working relationship between the two quickly deteriorated as high demands were placed on Fevrier-President, who served as manager of strategic planning and reporting.
By September 2022, the tension had escalated to the point where Fevrier-President filed a formal harassment complaint against her director. CAS retained a third-party investigator in June 2023 to examine these initial allegations.
Escalation to Senior Leadership
Dissatisfied with how her original complaint was being handled, Fevrier-President took the extraordinary step of filing additional harassment complaints against Carreau and two other CAS executives. She alleged they had failed to provide a safe workplace and neglected to minimize the negative impact of the director's actions on employee well-being.
The same investigator who probed the initial complaint was tasked with examining the allegations against Carreau and her colleagues. The investigator's final report delivered a damning conclusion: Carreau's actions constituted workplace harassment and violence under the applicable definitions.
Judicial Review Attempt Fails
In a controversial move, CAS treated the investigator's conclusive report as preliminary rather than final. Carreau subsequently sought judicial review in Federal Court, asking the court to reject the findings and order a new investigation.
Deputy Judge Mark Phillips delivered his decision on September 18, 2025, firmly dismissing Carreau's application. The judge emphasized that while parties may provide evidence against findings in a draft report, they cannot expect to challenge conclusions they disagree with after the fact in hopes of changing the outcome.
This ruling represents a significant validation of the investigative process and underscores the accountability expected of senior leaders in Canada's public institutions, particularly those responsible for administering the justice system itself.
