What do you think?
Rate this book
It Should Be Easy to Fix
In 1977, Bonnie Robichaud accepted a job at the Department of Defence military base in North Bay, Ontario. After a string of dead-end jobs, with five young children at home, Robichaud was ecstatic to have found a unionized job with steady pay, benefits, and vacation time.
After her supervisor began to sexually harass and intimidate her, her story could have followed the same course as countless women before endure, stay silent, and eventually quit. Instead, Robichaud filed a complaint after her probation period was up. When a high-ranking officer said she was the only one who had ever complained, Robichaud said, “Good. Then it should be easy to fix.”
This timely and revelatory memoir follows her gruelling eleven-year fight for justice, which was won in the Supreme Court of Canada. The unanimous decision set a historic legal precedent that employers are responsible for maintaining a respectful and harassment-free workplace. Robichaud’s story is a landmark piece of Canadian labour history—one that is more relevant today than ever.
After her supervisor began to sexually harass and intimidate her, her story could have followed the same course as countless women before endure, stay silent, and eventually quit. Instead, Robichaud filed a complaint after her probation period was up. When a high-ranking officer said she was the only one who had ever complained, Robichaud said, “Good. Then it should be easy to fix.”
This timely and revelatory memoir follows her gruelling eleven-year fight for justice, which was won in the Supreme Court of Canada. The unanimous decision set a historic legal precedent that employers are responsible for maintaining a respectful and harassment-free workplace. Robichaud’s story is a landmark piece of Canadian labour history—one that is more relevant today than ever.
- GenresMemoir
Audible Audio
Published April 28, 2023
1 person is currently reading
31 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 27, 2022
What a fascinating story, and I’m certainly glad to have reaped the benefits of her efforts in my work life…
In Chapter 3 she describes the way in which she was systematically groomed by one of her bosses at the base in North Bay. She remarks that this was the most difficult chapter to write, and it sent chills up and down my spine, and succeeded in making me really angry.
Her journey is heartbreaking, yet empowering… but the saddest part is that all these many years later - notwithstanding that there is case law, and lots of ‘talk’ about harassment in the workplace… there are still far too many workers - women mostly, but not exclusively - that are subject to situations like hers.
My big question is, given my interests and work history, why have I never heard of this case before?
Ms. Robichaud needs to be celebrated on International Women’s Day (fittingly the day on which this is officially being released). She needs to be speaking to unions about how the job is supposed to be done (yes, her union failed her, at the outset). This could probably even be an interesting case study for young lawyers to read about… better than a dry, impersonal ‘nothing but the facts’ telling - their clients are going to be real people after all.
A remarkable little book.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to a digital ARC.
In Chapter 3 she describes the way in which she was systematically groomed by one of her bosses at the base in North Bay. She remarks that this was the most difficult chapter to write, and it sent chills up and down my spine, and succeeded in making me really angry.
Her journey is heartbreaking, yet empowering… but the saddest part is that all these many years later - notwithstanding that there is case law, and lots of ‘talk’ about harassment in the workplace… there are still far too many workers - women mostly, but not exclusively - that are subject to situations like hers.
My big question is, given my interests and work history, why have I never heard of this case before?
Ms. Robichaud needs to be celebrated on International Women’s Day (fittingly the day on which this is officially being released). She needs to be speaking to unions about how the job is supposed to be done (yes, her union failed her, at the outset). This could probably even be an interesting case study for young lawyers to read about… better than a dry, impersonal ‘nothing but the facts’ telling - their clients are going to be real people after all.
A remarkable little book.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to a digital ARC.
July 7, 2022
Anyone interested in gender equity and issues of social justice will be impressed by this Canadian hero. Bonnie, mother of five, faced off against the Canadian military and the RCMP when no one intervened to stop her supervisor from sexually harassing her while working as a cleaner in 1977 and on. Her case eventually made it to the Supreme Court which ruled in her favour. Parts of this story are graphic so that is one thing to know before reading this impressive biography.
July 2, 2025
The horrors she had to go through and the long battle to change history was truly inspiring. Bonnie Robichaud is a hero and has set the foundation for basic human rights as employees and changed the law for not only herself but for every worker and woman to have the right to work in a safe work environment without the threat of harassment or sexual harassment. she is truly inspiring.
June 11, 2025
THIS IS SO INSIGHTFUL THANK YOU
Holy shit sometimes you forget all the history that led up to current rights!! and then you just read an account like this... damn...
Holy shit sometimes you forget all the history that led up to current rights!! and then you just read an account like this... damn...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews