Due to the sensitive and/or legal subject matter of some of the content on globalnews.ca, we reserve the ability to disable comments from time to time.After years of turmoil — ranging from allegations of a toxic work culture to financial mismanagement and even arrests — at a children’s agency in Peel Region, a figure at the centre of the scandal is speaking out.
In withdrawing the charges, the Crown said there “remains a public interest in proceeding” but that there was no “reasonable chance of conviction” in a case that had dragged on close to the 18-month limit established as reasonable in Canada.The former finance director said he’s struggled to “drown out that stigma” that comes with articles about his arrest every time a potential employer searches his name and is now pursuing a civil case against Peel CAS.
Eventually, after an investigation ordered by the provincial government found more issues and a “seriously troubled” workplace, a group of senior managers went over Bains’ head to complain about the CEO to the board’s then-president. “When stated that the primary sport is basketball for the youth, stated to the that he had no idea how many individuals play badminton,” the letter said.It alleged Bains designed the space himself, resulting in issues with the construction that were quoted at between $60,000 and $80,000 to fix.“On several occasions, Mr. Bains has used the gym during the lockdown to bring in friends and family to the gymnasium to play badminton,” the directors wrote.
The other violation referenced by the board was that Bains “used an agency van for personal use” the Peel CAS said in a December 2022 update sent to staff. “He has shown remarkable restraint in the face of the scurrilous and defamatory allegations over the last number of years.”Cader and a former property maintenance worker, Andre Paul, were both charged in connection with an alleged purchase and reimbursement scheme.
Both the Crown and defence agreed Peel police had been slow to disclose their evidence to either of them, with Cader’s lawyer telling the court the lead officer in the case only had eight pages of notes from his investigation.“Just think about it, you investigated apparently a quarter-of-a-million-dollar fraud, as they state, and you come out with eight pages of notes — that alone should speak volumes,” Cader told Global News.