Employees at Canadore College that came forward to a private investigator with complaints of sexual discrimination and abuse have been voted "Newsmakers of the Year" by BayToday readers.
Almost 1,400 votes were cast in the poll.
See: Who is the 2019 Newsmaker of the Year?
Canadore women (and men) who spoke out against sexual harassment and abuse finished well ahead in first place, garnering 440 votes or 32 per cent of the total.
See: Canadore College notified of serious allegations of sex discrimination
And: Canadore employees charging poisonous work environment balloons to 50 says union
Sources say that the number is now closer to 80. The investigator's report is expected any day now, but will be given to the Board's executive committee to decide how it will be handled. There has been no indication so far that any of it will be made public.
The allegations of sexual discrimination and abuse at Canadore College was also voted as the area's top news story of 2019.
In second place is Anthony Rota, being re-elected MP and Speaker of the House of Commons. Rota had 204 votes or 15 per cent.
“First and foremost, my duty is to continue to be the best representative for the citizens of NipissingTimiskaming, who time and again have placed their trust and confidence in me,” said Rota, a five-term MP and first speaker of Italian heritage, as his wife Chantal watched from the parliamentary gallery.
See: Rota elected new Speaker of the House of Commons
In the third spot was North Bay native Mike O'shea, the Grey Cup champion coach with 165 votes or 12 per cent
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach watched his team win 33-12 before 35,439 spectators at McMahon Stadium for its first Grey Cup victory since 1990.
See: North Bay's O'Shea hoists the Grey Cup again
Last year's winner was Kevin Ferris who received 42 per cent of votes cast.
A private citizen, Ferris who took the City to task for a lack of transparency, and was the 2018 "Newsmaker of the Year" according to the BayToday poll.
Ferris filed a pair of high profile Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, forcing city staff to release, reluctantly, information on the Jerry Knox "corporate advisor" controversy, and results from the ill-fated Summer in the Park.
See: Citizen activist is North Bay's 'Newsmaker of the Year'
The BayToday.ca poll is an unscientific sampling of public opinion intended solely to allow our readers to express themselves on issues of the day.
