McCain Foods heiress files for annulment
The Banff Centre is in the national spotlight over allegations of sexual harassment levelled against its former president.
A multitude of claims of impropriety have been made against Jeff Melanson in a 34- page annulment application by his estranged wife, McCain Foods heiress Eleanor McCain.
The allegations, which have not been proven in court and are denied by Melanson, involve his time at the Banff Centre, as well as a previous stint at The National Ballet School and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where he now works as president/ CEO.
It was seen as quite a coup when the Banff Centre hired the charismatic arts administrator in 2012, and he quickly embarked on an ambitious $ 900- million plan to reshape the globally recognized arts centre. The massive undertaking was expected to keep Melanson in Banff for at least 10 years.
But he resigned abruptly on April 10, 2014, saying he wanted to move to Toronto to be closer to his children from his first marriage, which had ended after he came to Banff, and to be with McCain, a singer whom he had proposed to six days earlier after a four- month courtship.
But McCain claims in her court filing that Melanson quickly married her and left Banff to outrun sexual harassment accusations.
“The real reasons for Jeff’s departure from TBC were his harassment of female employees and his inability to deliver on the grandiose plans he had announced,” states the documents filed March 2.
The application alleges that shortly after he became president and CEO of the Banff Centre in January 2012, Melanson hired a woman and “relentlessly” pursued her. But once they “consummated their relationship” during a work trip to Australia that October, he broke it off and began “freezing her out.” Within a year, the woman was terminated. She pursued a sexual harassment claim and sought severance from the Banff Centre. McCain alleges that when that occurred, Melanson “felt that his days were numbered.”
“He was looking for a way out of Banff,” the filing states.
The court document also claims Melanson had an affair with a married woman at the centre and sexually harassed a third woman. The court document alleges the Banff Centre settled one of those cases.
Janice Price, president of the Banff Centre, issued a brief statement but would not comment further on the advice of lawyers.
“No formal complaints were made pursuant to the Banff Centre harassment policy,” reads the statement. “There was a settlement that was reached with a former employee that was to the satisfaction of both parties.
“These allegations are concerning and troubling, as they are not reflective of the culture we want to set as an organization and place of work.”
The statement also says that in 2014, the board of governors revisited and updated its policies, followed by training and orientation for new staff.
“Under new leadership, the Banff Centre strives to ensure that it is a harassment- free workplace,” the statement read.
None of the claims has been proven in court. Melanson, who was named president of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra two weeks after resigning in Banff, responded with his own statement on Twitter.
“The claims against me are inaccurate and undignified. I am saddened that Ms. McCain has chosen to say such things and in this way, but even more disappointed as these statements are untrue and hurtful to myself and my loved ones. My lawyers will reply through the appropriate channels.”
Beyond the sexual harassment claims, McCain’s filing also casts Melanson as a “callous” employer who fired employees “without remorse or guilt.” His arrival at the Banff Centre brought major staff shakeups, resulting in the departures of at least 11 people, including artistic director of theatre arts Kelly Robinson, programming vice- president Sarah Iley and Henk Guittart, director of fall and winter creative music residencies, who had recently moved his family from the Netherlands and was about to commence six- year contract negotiations.
McCain also claims Melanson fired a woman days before she was to go on sick leave. She was subsequently diagnosed with ALS.
“TBC, under Jeff’s direction, refused to continue ( her) benefits, including her medical benefits,” the filing states.
The document also alleges Melanson showed up intoxicated to Banff Centre events, put his first wife on the payroll and used the Banff Centre’s IP address to log into the adultery website Ashley Madison between January 2012 and 2013.
McCain’s application claims she was “tricked” into marriage by Melanson misrepresenting himself. The relationship ended after nine months — on Jan. 27, 2015, Melanson sent McCain an email advising her he was leaving the marriage.
“Eleanor now believes that Jeff pursued her and pushed to marry her so quickly because he thought that marrying her and being associated with her family would help redeem him from his scandalous behaviour in Banff,” reads the document.
“Eleanor would never had ( sic) married Jeff if she had known that