The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Corus Lawyers Question Jennifer Valentyne Over Human Rights Complaints

RadioActive · October 21, 2025 10:30 pm

She says she was bullied at work.

They say her performance wasn't up to par.

Both former Q107 on air personality Jennifer Valentyne and Corus have very different interpretations of why she left her job in 2019, prompting her to reveal she was allegedly being abused and bullied by her co-hosts, while management did nothing.

On Tuesday, lawyers for the company got their first chance to question her directly on the allegations.

"Valentyne also alleges her co-hosts Ryan Parker, Johnny Garbutt and John Derringer engaged in 'inappropriate' behaviour like watching pornographic videos, making sexual remarks about women’s bodies and referring to women using degrading terms...

Lawyers told Valentyne her former co-hosts will testify she took the lead making comments about women’s bodies and those of her male colleagues. Valentyne laughed at the suggestion and said that was not true."

The situation eventually led to morning man John Derringer losing his own job and he has not been back on radio since. He will be testifying at the hearing.

It's a pretty sordid affair, with both sides accusing the other of being at fault. And there's a lot more testimony scheduled to come.

Corus defence lawyers question former Q107 radio host on job performance at tribunal

ToRon · October 22, 2025 9:24 am

is she tied in with same city coven that had Mulligans back

Last edited by ToRon (October 22, 2025 9:26 am)

Kris Abel · October 23, 2025 8:14 am

Part of Corus’ solution was to shift Jenn over to Global News Morning where she got to work with me and based on my couple of years with her I find the suggestion that she suffered “performance issues” or had a hard time adjusting to radio to be HILARIOUS. She is a hard-working, high-energy, creatively competent, professional. I look forward to doing some fun, creative work with her again.

Knapp Lane · October 23, 2025 10:29 am

There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.

MonteVideo · October 23, 2025 12:42 pm

Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.

Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

ig · October 23, 2025 5:35 pm

I don't remember that at all. If anything, the Mojo calendar represented what the station was all about, a Maxim magazine on the radio.

Caveaut, If this was after Hayes darkened the doors, all bets are off, he was far more concerned about investors in the US Bible belt than he ever was about a radio station format, and those investors were where his loyalties lay, He was perfect for Corus though, had corporate doublespeak down to an art form.

ig.

MonteVideo wrote:
Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.
Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

Dparker · October 24, 2025 7:52 am

That can't be true - I heard Johnny B interview Mojo Girls on the air

MonteVideo wrote:
Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.
Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

Chick Tract · October 24, 2025 1:32 pm

I do recall that the staff were told to NOT display the calendars in common areas when the cluster moved to 1 Dundas West. By then the experiment had already morphed into the “new” MOJO radio…a mix of salacious titty jokes combined with hard-hitting investigations of Toronto’s water supply safety.

Johnny B · October 24, 2025 4:24 pm

Dparker wrote:
That can't be true - I heard Johnny B interview Mojo Girls on the air

MonteVideo wrote:
Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.
Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

The woman I've been with for over 20 years was a MOJO model...I had those girls on the air and on every show I hosted or produced either in studio or live on location when MOJO was at its height...when I did remotes for Monday Night Football games at the bars for example, there was always a MOJO model with me and I would sometimes include her in the promo...most of them were great, pretty ladies just looking to make some extra cash...as for the calendars...I had one hanging in my cubicle at 1 Dundas...no one said shit about it to me.

mace · October 24, 2025 5:21 pm

I remember those calendars. All the women were pulchritudinous.

Dial Twister · October 24, 2025 6:01 pm

mace wrote:
I remember those calendars. All the women were pulchritudinous.

You did not just use that word! 🫡

Chrisphen · October 24, 2025 9:40 pm

"We were Maxim not Hustler."

Imagine putting that on your resume. Jesus Tapdancing Christ.

cash · October 24, 2025 9:45 pm

I guess they can't afford to write her a cheque.

mace · October 25, 2025 9:58 am

Dial Twister wrote:
mace wrote:
I remember those calendars. All the women were pulchritudinous.
You did not just use that word! 🫡

Years ago I read a column somewhere by John Derringer and he used this word which I had never heard or seen before. Naturally I had to look it up in a dictionary. Yes I have one. This is also before I had a Smartphone. When you look up the meaning of a word, it will stay with you forever.

MonteVideo · October 27, 2025 5:18 pm

ig wrote:
I don't remember that at all. If anything, the Mojo calendar represented what the station was all about, a Maxim magazine on the radio.

Caveaut, If this was after Hayes darkened the doors, all bets are off, he was far more concerned about investors in the US Bible belt than he ever was about a radio station format, and those investors were where his loyalties lay, He was perfect for Corus though, had corporate doublespeak down to an art form.

ig.

MonteVideo wrote:
Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.
Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

Yes. John Hayes was there at this time.

MonteVideo · October 27, 2025 5:20 pm

Dparker wrote:
That can't be true - I heard Johnny B interview Mojo Girls on the air

MonteVideo wrote:
Knapp Lane wrote:
There’s a recurring pattern in broadcast media where on-air talent cultivates a provocative or risqué persona as part of the brand, fully embracing it while it serves their career interests. However, when the role or contract ends, that same conduct is often recast as exploitation or harassment. A local example out here would be Sue Tyler, who built her profile around that image for years, only to later reposition herself as a victim once the employment relationship concluded.
Apparently when MOJO Radio was a thing HR policy prohibited posting the MOJO Girls Calendar in the building. They they could be given away, but not looked at.

You could certainly talk to them, and they could be in the building of course and at events, you just couldn't put the calendar up in your cubicle.

cash · March 25, 2026 8:25 pm

Derringer responds

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/former-q107-host-john-derringer-fires-back-at-jennifer-valentyne-allegations-at-human-rights-tribunal/ar-AA1Zphwq?ocid=BingNewsSerp

RadioActive · March 25, 2026 8:33 pm

That is a very interesting response and one of the first times we've heard the other side of this. Based on what he said and what she alleges - and admittedly without much foundation from either of them - who do you tend to believe?

RadioAaron · March 25, 2026 8:34 pm

RadioActive wrote:
That is a very interesting response and one of the first times we've heard the other side of this. Based on what he said and what she alleges - and admittedly without much foundation from either of them - who do you tend to believe?

Both of them.

RadioActive · March 26, 2026 8:24 pm

The latest from the he said/she said hearing, featuring memories of Maureen Holloway's time on the show. Regardless of who you believe, it does not sound like a very good place to work.

Former Q107 host tells tribunal he looked at pictures of women in 'very little clothing' while at work

RadioAaron · March 26, 2026 8:39 pm

At this point it's her alleging that he's a piece of shit, and him admitting it. So it's going to come down to whether human rights come in to play; and if yes, the guilty party is going to end up being Corus.

RadioAaron · March 26, 2026 10:07 pm

Binson Echorec wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
At this point it's her alleging that he's a piece of shit, and him admitting it. So it's going to come down to whether human rights come in to play; and if yes, the guilty party is going to end up being Corus.
Is there anybody at Corus today who was there when all this went down, ie a manager to "take the fall" if necessary?

I guess Tammy Cole was there when it all broke, but she's probably just the unfortunate last one tossed the hot potato. Maybe some HR type. Anyone above...nope.

Paul Jeffries · March 26, 2026 10:16 pm

Binson Echorec wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
At this point it's her alleging that he's a piece of shit, and him admitting it. So it's going to come down to whether human rights come in to play; and if yes, the guilty party is going to end up being Corus.
Is there anybody at Corus today who was there when all this went down, ie a manager to "take the fall" if necessary?

There might be, but whether said manager is going to "take the fall" is another question.

Unless of course, Corus throws them under the bus, which seems not totally out of the realm of possibility.

PJ

Paul Jeffries · March 26, 2026 10:33 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
Binson Echorec wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
At this point it's her alleging that he's a piece of shit, and him admitting it. So it's going to come down to whether human rights come in to play; and if yes, the guilty party is going to end up being Corus.
Is there anybody at Corus today who was there when all this went down, ie a manager to "take the fall" if necessary?
I guess Tammy Cole was there when it all broke, but she's probably just the unfortunate last one tossed the hot potato. Maybe some HR type. Anyone above...nope.

By all accounts, it appears as though upper management "didn't know this was going on."

No doubt someone lower down on the corporate ladder will be the sacrificial lamb in all of this.

PJ

RadioAaron · March 26, 2026 11:15 pm

Paul Jeffries wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
Binson Echorec wrote:

Is there anybody at Corus today who was there when all this went down, ie a manager to "take the fall" if necessary?
I guess Tammy Cole was there when it all broke, but she's probably just the unfortunate last one tossed the hot potato. Maybe some HR type. Anyone above...nope.
By all accounts, it appears as though upper management "didn't know this was going on."

No doubt someone lower down on the corporate ladder will be the sacrificial lamb in all of this.

PJ

Such a person just isn't there though. Maybe Tammy, but they're sure as hell not going to fire a woman over it.

Paul Jeffries · March 26, 2026 11:30 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
Paul Jeffries wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
I guess Tammy Cole was there when it all broke, but she's probably just the unfortunate last one tossed the hot potato. Maybe some HR type. Anyone above...nope.
By all accounts, it appears as though upper management "didn't know this was going on."

No doubt someone lower down on the corporate ladder will be the sacrificial lamb in all of this.

PJ

Such a person just isn't there though. Maybe Tammy, but they're sure as hell not going to fire a woman over it.

That certainly wouldn't be a good look, now would it?

PJ

RadioActive · March 27, 2026 6:02 am

The Toronto Sun's story on this hearing reveals yet another side to what it calls Derringer's "sexist pig" arrogance.

“I know I can be difficult but I’m good at the job. That’s all that matters,” he said, as he leaned back in his chair at the downtown hearing.

“They’re not staying if they’re not doing the job. That’s at the heart of the way I work. You can mock that, you can disagree with it, you can think I’m a total jerk for the way that I operated but if I had to do it again, I’d do it the exact same way from that standpoint."

You won't be reading much more about this for a while. The hearing won't resume until August.

Former Q107 host John Derringer launches scathing attack on Jennifer Valentyne

RonaldS · March 28, 2026 3:41 pm

I guess this answers my question: "I wonder if he'll be at all humbled by this?"

RadioActive wrote:
The Toronto Sun's story on this hearing reveals yet another side to what it calls Derringer's "sexist pig" arrogance.

“I know I can be difficult but I’m good at the job. That’s all that matters,” he said, as he leaned back in his chair at the downtown hearing.

“They’re not staying if they’re not doing the job. That’s at the heart of the way I work. You can mock that, you can disagree with it, you can think I’m a total jerk for the way that I operated but if I had to do it again, I’d do it the exact same way from that standpoint."

You won't be reading much more about this for a while. The hearing won't resume until August.

Former Q107 host John Derringer launches scathing attack on Jennifer Valentyne