Suspended firefighter says he’s being targeted by the department
Posted Jul 7, 2010 03:35:11 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Halifax firefighter named in a defamation lawsuit filed by his superiors has been suspended from his job with pay.
Blair Cromwell says he’s felt targeted by his employers during his 12 years with the force.
He’s also one of seven defendants in a court action brought by the Halifax fire chief and deputy chief.
The fire bosses launched the civil suit after comments appeared at the bottom of a news story on the Coast’s website.
Cromwell says he received a letter informing him he would be suspended with pay pending the outcome of the allegations.
“I thought this was supposed to be a private lawsuit that was being filed by the two chiefs,” he said. “Now it turns out to be a job action issue.”
Cromwell says the department has been trying to get rid of him for years.
“I felt it for basically the majority of my career,” he said. “You bring forward issues, and they try to sweep them under the rug and not deal with them, forcing you to have to go outside the department to address your concerns.”
He says he’s being punished for being outspoken. He says he won’t stop being outspoken now and will fight the case until the end.
