MIDLAND - It likely should have been just a gentle discussion between book club members, but for Wayne Boon, one comment led to a lifetime ban and a 1.5-year back-and-forth with Midland Public Library senior staff and even a lawyer.
The Midland resident says the library’s actions have been tantamount to bullying and have shown a complete lack of accountability. Boon maintains this has been done to enable library staff to block conversations on their list of topics that "a senior white male has no right” to offer an opinion on.
"Their actions should be exposed to the public," he says, adding that staff’s behaviour has gone against the institution’s official policies. "I have been discriminated against and am powerless."
It all began in the fall of 2023. An avid reader and member of other book clubs, Boon attended one hosted by the library at a Balm Beach seniors' facility.
While discussing a book during a club led by library programming and engagement manager Faith Roebuck Shergold, Boon says he expressed his opinion, which ran counter to the idea that Catholic priests working at residential schools were pedophiles.
"To say that all priests at residential schools are pedophiles is borderline stupid," Boon says, noting that Shergold has "lots of political views" and didn't like that, perhaps, his opinion differed from hers.
"I had no intention to get involved in hurting anyone's feelings."
At the time, Boon thought that was the end of it. But then he received a letter announcing a lifetime library book club ban, which he asserts contains slanderous accusations about him.
"I consider this an abuse of authority by (library CEO and chief librarian) Trish Hayes," Boon says, adding the pair have only chatted via email. "I've never met Trish Hayes, never had a conversation with Trish Hayes.
"It's a simple management issue. I gave them 100 ways of ending this so everyone comes away happy."
Boon says he also tried in vain to speak several times about the issue at a library board meeting, but was rebuffed by Hayes.
For his part, Boon says he worked as a school principal before retiring to Midland from Toronto and has volunteered with a number of organizations, including a food bank, over the years.
"I've spent my entire career helping families and the marginalized," he says, adding the library seems to be implying he broke its code of conduct by offering a contrasting opinion.
"I looked at their code of conduct. It's all to do with the police. It's about defecating between the (book) shelves and shooting up drugs. Saying something they don't like is not in the criteria."
MidandToday obtained various documents relating to the matter, including emails from Hayes and the library's lawyer.
In February, the library's lawyer told Boon the ban could be reduced to three years as a "good faith effort." In exchange for agreeing to the shorter ban, Boon would have to agree not to participate in activities involving Shergold and not take or continue any further legal action against the library.
Boon declined to sign, so the lawyer told him the status quo ban will remain, further pointing out Boon has gone against the library's wishes that he not communicate about the matters with others, including town councillors, library staff and library board members.
"The refusal of the library staff to discuss their problem indicates poor management skills," Boon says. "The desire to support your staff should also include a desire to mediate conflict. The ban is nothing but vindictive and outside the parameters of reasonable behaviour by the policy documents of the Midland library."
The lawyer's note goes on to say that should Boon continue to do these types of things, his full library privileges will be revoked.
Boon adds: "I pointed out to the board that this is a waste of money. This is way over the top. This is a woke organization of social-justice warriors. They're not very transparent.
"This is not healthy for us, not healthy for our children."
Following an event at the library Friday morning, board chair Kim Weishar was asked a number of questions by MidlandToday regarding the ban and why the library hired a lawyer.
"We don't discuss issues involving specific patrons," Weishar says, noting the lawyer was hired because "we have a responsibility to protect the library."
Weishar declined to say how much the lawyer's fees have so far cost the library, which is funded by the town but handles its finances independently.
Shergold declined to comment on the issue or address Boon's specific comment that she is a "woke" "social-justice warrior."
Adds Hayes: "I'm not prepared to give a comment at the moment. We will be getting back to you."
Hayes also declined to respond to a question about "whether the entire situation has been blown out of proportion." Later in the day, she sent an email saying: "Unfortunately, we do not discuss individual patron-related issues."
For his part, Boon has spent $7,500 to hire a lawyer on retainer to help him deal with the issue and who specializes in defamation cases.
"My lawyer has said that they've broken all my Charter rights," he says. "It's about freedom of speech. They're using my own taxes to pay for the lawyer to go after me. This all seems a bit much.
"This issue is only about a difference of opinion with the staff member, Faith Shergold."