The activist Bonnie Robichaud discusses her new memoir It Should Be Easy to Fix (Between the Lines, 2022), with Joseph Planta.

It Should Be Easy to Fix by Bonnie Robichaud (Between the Lines, 2021). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: It Should Be Easy to Fix

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

In 1977, Bonnie Robichaud, a wife, and mother of five young children, got a job at the Department of Defence military base in North Bay, Ontario. It was a unionised job, with steady pay, benefits, and vacation time. Her supervisor on the job begins to sexually harass and intimidate her. She considers staying silent, even thinks about quitting. After her probationary period is up, she files a complaint. She’s told by a high-ranking officer at the base that she’s the only one to have ever complained, and Robichaud says, “Good. Then it should be easy to fix.” That’s the title of her new book, It Should Be Easy to Fix. It’s a comprehensive look at the over decade long battle for justice that ended up at the Supreme Court of Canada, where legal precedent was set regarding sexual harassment in a workplace. It’s landmark labour history, and Ms. Robichaud joins me now to discuss her experience at work, through the various legal proceedings at commissions and tribunals, through to the various court cases. I’ll ask her about why she chose to fight when it would have been easier not to, and how she’s allowed herself to not be defeated and in fact become politicised as a result. She’s a long-time union activist, public speaker, and mentor. And she joined me from Ottawa, where she lives. The book is published by Between the Lines. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Bonnie Robichaud; Ms. Robichaud, good morning.

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