His own videos led CBC bosses to take action

Since Jian Ghomeshi’s firing by the CBC on Oct. 26, the Toronto Star and other media outlets have published the accounts of nine women and one man accusing the disgraced former host of radio show Q of harassment, physical abuse and sexual assault.

Three women, including Trailer Park Boys actress Lucy DeCoutere, have come forward to Toronto police, who are investigating.

CBC’s executive vice-president of English services, Heather Conway, told staff in a memo last week that Ghomeshi was sacked after his CBC bosses on Oct. 23 saw “graphic evidence that Jian had caused physical injury to a woman.” Sources have told the Star that evidence included videos.

Conway told the CBC’s Peter Mansbridge on Friday that after viewing the evidence, it became "an issue not about somebody’s private sex life but about somebody inflicting injury on another human being."

Ghomeshi has said that he will meet the allegations “directly” and has maintained in a Facebook post and through a $55-million lawsuit against the CBC that all his sexual interactions have been consensual. He has also filed a union grievance alleging wrongful dismissal. Ghomeshi has retained high-profile criminal defence lawyer Marie Henein.

The CBC is seeking to have the lawsuit thrown out.

Since his firing, Ghomeshi has been dumped by crisis communications firm Navigator; publicity company Rock-It Promotions; his publisher; his agent; the musician Lights, whom he managed for 12 years; and the Polaris Music Prize jury. His appearance at last month’s Canada’s Walk of Fame ceremony will also be edited out of the televised version.

On Monday, the CBC announced that the executive producer of Q, Arif Noorani, had “decided” to take some time off while the public broadcaster looks for “more clarity” around the allegations against Ghomeshi, whose whereabouts is unknown.

The following day, the Crown corporation said it had hired employment lawyer Janice Rubin and her team to conduct a third-party investigation of the allegations against Ghomeshi within the CBC. Rubin’s “general recommendations” about improving policies and procedures will be made public, but not information about any specific complaints from current or former employees.

The Star is continuing to investigate and is receiving allegations dating back more than 20 years.