Neutral Third-Party Investigation of the Honourable Giovanna Toscano Roccamo

Former Judge of the Superior Court of Justice, Giovanna Toscano Roccamo of Capital ADR Experts (CADRE), was retained on December 6, 2020 on behalf of the Board of Directors of the University of Ottawa Students’ Union (“UOSU”). Her Honour was retained to carry out a neutral, third-party investigation into the alleged circumstances leading up to and underpinning the resignation on November 23, 2020, of the Operations Commissioner, Nour El Huda, from the Executive Committee of the UOSU.

The Honourable Giovanna Toscano Roccamo was authorized to make findings of fact based on the evidence received, both oral and documentary, on a balance of probabilities and in accordance with the law, and to deliver a written report at the conclusion of the investigation. Following the conduct of an in-depth investigation, the Honourable Giovanna Roccamo produced an exhaustive Investigative Report (“Report”).

The Executive Summary of the Report is published in a bilingual format on the UOSU’s website.

The investigation concluded that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the members of the Executive Committee of the UOSU. In furtherance of UOSU’s stated commitment to principles of transparency and accountability, her Honour made a number of very insightful recommendations (“Recommendations”) having regard to the account of experiences alleged by Nour El Huda and those of her colleagues on the Executive Committee.

The USOU thanks the Honourable Giovanna Roccamo for her findings and recommendations. The UOSU will take immediate action on the Recommendations made by the Honourable Giovanna Roccamo. The UOSU’s actions on the Recommendations will uphold the UOSU’s commitment to ensuring that everyone has a right to work in a respectful workplace. The UOSU must champion human rights, equality and inclusion in both the manner in which students are treated and the manner in which we treat each other within student government.

The UOSU strategic direction is to champion justice, equality, diversity, and inclusion. Bias and systemic racism is a reality that too many members of the uOttawa community live with on a daily basis. The UOSU rejects all forms of racism and discrimination. The UOSU is also committed to the goal of a transparent and ethical student body organization that reflects the diversity of uOttawa community.