The chief executive of a federal museum committed serious workplace misconduct by bullying employees over more than a decade, according to a damning report from Canada’s Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.
Marie Chapman, CEO of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax, engaged in a pattern of inappropriate behavior that caused emotional harm to multiple employees through yelling, intimidation, and targeting specific staff members, the commissioner found.
The investigation concluded Chapman seriously breached both the federal Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the museum’s own code of conduct. The Dec. 10 report has been tabled in Parliament.
“Employees and Canadians have a right to expect Governor in Council appointees and CEOs will behave in a manner that can bear the closest public scrutiny,” wrote Public Sector Integrity Commissioner Harriet Solloway in the report.
Chapman has led the 56-employee museum since October 2011 and was most recently reappointed to a four-year term in 2021. She disputes the findings and says her conduct was never questioned by the board during nearly two decades at the institution.
Pattern of misconduct documented
Investigators interviewed 20 people and examined numerous documents after receiving a disclosure of wrongdoing in May 2023. The evidence revealed Chapman:
Inappropriate language: Publicly referred to her senior leadership (SLT) as “sluts.” Made comments ranking women by age and appearance. Used nicknames for employees based on physical or behavioral traits.
Yelling and intimidation: Raised her voice in anger on multiple occasions dating to 2012. In one incident, threw union cards at an employee, causing them to take leave for the rest of the day. Nine employees described feeling fearful and intimidated by her behavior.
Targeting specific employees: Singled out the museum’s exhibitions, research and collections unit, calling them troublemakers. Moved research team members to her floor to “keep a close eye on them” after a former vice-president’s departure in May 2023. Repeatedly targeted one employee she believed had encouraged union organizing.
Creating fear: One employee testified they suffer panic attacks when going to work and keep their office door closed to protect their mental health. Some employees explored financial options for early retirement or departure. Others reported mental health struggles, with some contemplating self-harm.
“Ms. Chapman created a climate in which staff members felt that they could be labelled at any time and feared what that label would be,” the report states.
The commissioner noted Chapman’s actions may reasonably be characterized as bullying, citing the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety’s definition, which includes intimidating others, making offensive jokes, yelling, and persistently criticizing people.
Museum limited investigation access
The investigation faced constraints when the museum refused to release Chapman’s former vice-president from a non-disparagement clause in their separation agreement, preventing investigators from obtaining corroboration or denials of witnessed incidents.
The separation agreement prohibited the former vice-president from discussing or criticizing the museum or its employees “at all times.”
The museum told investigators it was unable to release the former employee from these obligations, even for the limited purpose of the investigation.
CEO disputes findings, resists recommendation
Chapman rejected key findings in a lengthy response, arguing the report creates a false impression of frequency and scale by failing to document specific dates. She noted some incidents date to 2004, when the museum was a Nova Scotia not-for-profit society and not under federal jurisdiction.
She also disputed the number of current employees interviewed, saying it was 14, not the one-third of the workforce cited in the report.
The commissioner recommended an external expert assess employee wellness at the museum to determine appropriate support measures.
Chapman said she welcomes “opportunities for learning and improvement” and looks forward to engaging an external expert. She also committed to additional leadership training to “better understand how my actions and words may be perceived by others.”
However, Solloway deemed Chapman’s response unsatisfactory, saying it falls short of accepting the recommendation and demonstrates a failure to take responsibility.
“Ms. Chapman’s justifications of the impugned conduct demonstrate that she is failing to take responsibility, and does not reflect the degree of accountability that is expected of her as the Chief Executive,” the report states.
The commissioner will request an update in six months to ensure the recommendation is properly addressed.
Chapman defended her record, noting she has received excellent performance ratings from the board under the Privy Council Office’s performance management system throughout her tenure, with no warnings, disciplinary actions, or negative evaluations.
The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 operates at arm’s length from the government under the Museums Act. Its board of trustees, composed of Governor in Council appointees, is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
See the full report here: https://psic-ispc.gc.ca/en/results/case-report-museum-pier-21-december-2025
