Reputation Of Dalhousie University Dentistry Student Should Be Cleared: Lawyer

HALIFAX — A Dalhousie University dentistry student who helped expose a Facebook group where misogynistic comments were posted about female classmates should have his reputation cleared, his lawyer said Tuesday.

 

Bruce MacIntosh spoke on behalf of Ryan Millet, one of the 13 members of the Facebook group, before the two arrived at an in-camera disciplinary hearing Tuesday evening.

 

MacIntosh questioned Dalhousie University's handling of Millet's case and took issue with the fact that school president Richard Florizone has said the school is committed to "significant consequences" to address the situation.

 

"Have you ever heard a judge who hasn't tried or convicted a person say we are all committed to significant consequences?" MacIntosh said.

 

MacIntosh is challenging the university's decision to suspend Millet's clinic privileges earlier this month.

 

"This will go as far as it has to go until Ryan Millet's suspension is not just lifted but until his reputation is cleared," he said.

 

Millet wanted the disciplinary hearing to be open to the public but the school rejected his request despite his promise to protect the identities of others from public disclosure, MacIntosh has said.

 

The meeting lasted about 4 1/2 hours and neither Millet or MacIntosh commented after. The two have scheduled a news conference for Wednesday.

 

Dalhousie University has repeatedly said that it is following a just process and will continue to evaluate the cases of the men who have been accused of being part of the Facebook group.

 

University spokesman Brian Leadbetter said in an email that all disciplinary committee hearings are confidential and it's not known when it will make its decision.

 

A Facebook page called Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen where sexually hateful comments about women were posted has been taken down.

 

But according to the CBC, members of the Facebook group voted on which woman they'd like to have "hate" sex with and joked about using chloroform on women. The CBC said in another post, a woman is shown in a bikini with a caption that says, "Bang until stress is relieved or unconscious (girl)."

 

MacIntosh has said that Millet took a stand against comments he considered offensive and encouraged other members of the Facebook group to remove them, adding that it was Millet who told a female friend that she was being targeted in a "repugnant hate ballot."

 

In addition to having their clinic privileges suspended, Millet and 12 other members of the Facebook group have been ordered to attend classes apart from the rest of their fellow fourth-year dentistry students.

 

Dalhousie University has announced an independent task force will look into what happened and a restorative justice process will hear from 14 women and all of the 13 members of the Facebook group except Millet will participate in that process.