Hundreds sign petitions to reinstate the fired firefighter and pardon the captain

Online petitions to reinstate a former Ottawa firefighter who was fired for his involvement in an altercation with a non-binary colleague have garnered hundreds of signatures and show widespread support for his return, according to the professional association that launched them .

The Ottawa Professional Fire Fighters’ Association (OPFFA) launched the trio of petitions on September 28, three days after Eric Einagel was found not guilty of assaulting and choking fellow junior fire fighter Ash Weaver during a dinner altercation at Station 47 in Barrhaven . Ottawa police investigated the incident as a hate crime.

The court heard that the “plate fight” on September 14, 2022 was part of a long-standing ritual among junior firefighters who competed against each other for the “right” to complete menial tasks around the fire hall. The Ottawa Fire Service (OFS) has since ordered firefighters to stop the practice.

Captain Greg Wright, who remains with OFS, was found not guilty of threatening Weaver with disciplinary action to keep the incident secret.

“Ash Weaver was not attacked by Eric Einagel and was not threatened by Greg Wright,” Judge Mitchell Hoffman said in his ruling late last month, adding that the Crown had “not even come close” to proving the allegations against the two.

Einagel fired after investigation

Nevertheless, Einagel was fired after an internal investigation into the allegations. He currently works as a first responder for a private company in Alberta.

According to Wright’s lawyer, the veteran captain was initially given a three-day unpaid suspension, but the matter went to arbitration and has been pending since early 2023.

The petitions, launched by the OPFFA on September 28th, state: “We, the signatories, would like to show our support for Eric Einagel and Greg Wright after they were found not guilty on September 25th. We demand that the Ottawa Fire Department and the City of Ottawa return to work.” Eric Einagel as OFS firefighter and revoke all disciplinary action against Greg Wright.

One petition was aimed at current OPFFA members, a second at retirees and a third at the general public.

The petitions were active for three days and collected a total of 2,484 signatures during that time. According to the OPFFA, the petition for current members accounted for 1,056 of those, representing about 80 percent of the members who received an email requesting signatures.

All signatories provided their full names, and names added to the OPFFA member petition were cross-checked with the association’s membership list.

“The court found Eric Einagel and Greg Wright not guilty and concluded that Crown had presented no evidence of assault. With this in mind, our members believe that the disciplinary sanction imposed by the employer should be overturned,” OPFFA President Dave Andre said in an email response to CBC.

“Eric Einagel should be reinstated and Greg Wright’s disciplinary actions should be overturned.”

“They need to be confirmed”

The comments attached to the petition for OPFFA members reflect this sentiment.

“The mental stress, financial hardship and emotional roller coaster these men have endured due to extremely false accusations is shameful,” wrote a contributor who signed as Chris Miller.

“They must be confirmed!” wrote Koert Winkel. A witness of the same name, who was a deputy lieutenant at Station 47 when Einagel arrived there in August 2022, testified during the trial.

In an email, Wright’s lawyer Joshua Clarke told CBC: “My client is aware of the petitions and is grateful for the response he has received. He has not yet had any discussions with OFS about anything on the employment side.”

Einagel’s lawyer, Dominic Lamb, declined to comment because the criminal case is technically ongoing – Hoffman has yet to provide his full reasons for the acquittal decisions, which are expected on October 30. The Crown then has 30 days to lodge an appeal.

In a statement following Hoffman’s initial decision on Sept. 25, Lamb said his client was “relieved to finally see justice served,” but added, “These false allegations destroyed a career he had built for decades and defamed his good character.” . Eric has always been a true ally and the particular nature of these false accusations has also deeply hurt him on a personal level.

Andre said the petitions were closed after three days because the association’s legal team is waiting for the end of the court’s 30-day appeal period before deciding on next steps.

In the meantime, “we believe the public should rely on coverage of the trial and the judge’s decision to form their own opinions,” Andre wrote.

In an email statement attributed to OFS Chief Paul Hutt, the city declined to comment on “individual personnel matters” but said it “recognizes the challenges this incident presents to the Ottawa Fire Department and those involved.” brought people with him.”