A FINAL LETTER TO YORK UNIVERSITY

May 1, 2018

Dear Maureen Armstrong,

As I enter my thirtieth hunger strike day on a ninth protest in 18 months this correspondence is final transparency to the York University institution and to the global community.

As the Paul James matter reaches its conclusion it should be a time for York University to embark on some serious soul searching.

My circumstances today are a result of:

a. My decisions over the past 8 years to fight for social justice against the poor treatment, discrimination and prejudice I incrementally received from the moment I sought help and support for mental disability in 2008 from York University.

b. York University’s egregious decisions and choices in their handling of the Paul James matter over the past decade including institutional abuse of power, overt deceit, obstruction of justice, and collusion to cover-up the reality of their culpability through the Canadian media, the Prime Minister’s Office, Canada Soccer and the Canadian Judicial process.

c. A highly stigmatized society on the subject matter which criminalizes persons suffering which York University have taken extreme advantage of. The stigmatized reaction to my mental disabilities through the poor treatment and discrimination of Paul James at York University and GOL TV in 2009 facilitated and permitted others and Canadian society as a whole to follow suit.

Resolution

Bob Rae on my behalf connected with you recently regarding potential resolution. Your suggestion that genuine efforts had already been made was yet another bad faith comment. Any discussions on such serious discrimination matters can only be conducted when good faith is provided which, Ms Armstrong, you have not delivered on for the past 18 months.

Perhaps you have forgotten your meeting with Kevin, Mark, and Tom in the summer of 2017 and your bad faith approach which proceeded it? Or your November 3, 2017 letter to me in-between hunger strike number 6 and 7 denying any culpability regurgitating an egregious false narrative in my regard.

Ms Armstrong I welcomed fair resolution as opposed to the alternative of subjecting myself to the ongoing horror of my circumstances. York University however, consistent with the disrespectful approach throughout, have continued to make a mockery of truth, justice, institutional responsibility and myself as a person, in order to avoid accountability at all costs.

On behalf of York University you have communicated without reservation no intention of resolving this matter fairly and in line with the errors of the institution and the catastrophic damage it has caused. Rather, amongst other things you have consistently delivered ‘prepared communications’ scapegoating York University’s responsibility and culpability onto Paul James to be used in the event I cease to exist.

Any denial of these facts by York University I now confront. I presented Bob Rae two final equitable respectful options for York University to bring this matter to a close. Your third option is to do nothing.

It is York University’s choice on the outcome of this matter. My decision to risk my health and well being and potential ultimate demise in seeking fair access to justice I am accountable for. Based on York University’s behaviour throughout I have no choice. Each time I disembark from the methodology of protest, your actions and dialogue have been dismissive, manipulative, deceitful, callous and under the circumstances totally irresponsible.

Knowing York University have been aware for over a decade that they unacceptably erred in my regard makes their approach over the past 18 months pure evil. In specific response to your November 3rd, 2017 letter which replicates Susan Silversides and Harriet Lewis’ dreadful approach to this matter back in June of 2012 when through a pro-bono lawyer we approached York University to resolve York’s poor treatment and errors including discrimination. They dismissed the request callously using deceit rationale which included the hatched Jenn Myers LIE. It is numbing 6 years later that you would take this desperate dishonest approach as a means to try to save face for your predecessors and to again scapegoat the reality while I was in the midst of such painful social protests.

Please note these comments to the statements you made in the November 3, 2017 letter you sent which provided no outlet for resolution. The 2010 Neil Davidson article was initiated as a means to halt infringement of my health privacy which had been shattered over the previous 14 months leading to incremental instances of discrimination, prejudice, harassment and poor treatment.

I left York University as a consequence of the lack of support at a time of greatest need. Instead of support I received poor treatment, discrimination and harassment and at the most critical moment I was told my master soccer position had been devolved and I could apply for the women’s coaching position and my application would only be considered with other applications. This after I was requested to formalize my resignation in October of 2009. These were just two moments amongst many which can never be erased.

Persons in an oppressed group who are discriminated against and treated poorly retreat from the “pain” of the poor treatment. It is like being “hit by lighting”. You are paralyzed, tongue tied. Refer to Jane Elliot’s exercise with racism. It is why it is unlawful to discriminate against someone disadvantaged. Look at the consequences to my life.

At the same time of Neil Davison's article Anthony Torterra taped an online interview which was initiated by York University. I did not want to speak about my circumstances or do the interview. Mr Torterra’s motivations were not honourable. I was attempting to protect my privacy.

To suggest I wanted to leave coaching once you had read all the evidence on public record is to obstruct justice. The statement I “never wanted to be a lifetime coach” is a bullion gold illustration of the stigmatization of my circumstances and highlights the consequences of being fired at GOL TV for nobreason, removed from my position at York University, excommunicated by mybassistant coaches, harassed and discriminated against by others. It made no sense to anyone in the soccer community nor to the players I recruited in 2008 from Vancouver - for me to leave soccer coaching - whom I stated I would be coaching at York for the foreseeable future. I always wanted to be a life long coach. Its why I worked so hard in my career to get to where I wanted to and also why I have fought to the point of death for the past 6 years to receive justice in part as an attempt to resurrect by collegiate soccer coaching career. That opportunity has cruelly been prevented by the actions and decisions of York University over the past 9 years.

The assistant coaches you reference will confirm the objective of my request for support was to save my soccer career not to lose it. I was meant to be a lifetime soccer coach. It was my passion in life and is why I invested so much in developing myself to be a pedigreed coach. I didn't do it to then lose my career.

My comment regarding enjoying my time at York University is correct to a point. The comment illustrates my honourable professionalism under such dreadful circumstances but also the stigma I was facing. I enjoyed my time at York University up to 2008 when I opened up to persons seeking support for mental disability. Then I became isolated and scapegoated.

York University 100% knew I was in distress because of mental disability. To deny this is to be corrupt. You had/have documentation in your Employee Wellness Office. You were obligated as an institution to monitor, to be sensitive and to investigate in order to help and assist.

My assistant coaches you make reference to - for whom I did so much - callously excommunicated with me and my family for self indulgent, immature, selfish reasons, not for my health and well being. They failed to turn up to our national championship banquet on December 11, 2008 initiating speculation and rumour including Carmine Isacco’s inquiry. In doing so they communicated to everyone something was very wrong. Then when they both left the institution they discussed my health circumstances with others. In the BCH instance in the environment of MLSE. BCH excommunicated on a second occasion in 2009 after I gave her the opportunity to remain with the York soccer program. On both occasions it was because I could not reciprocate her romantic feelings. On the second occasion she did not communicate with anyone at York soccer or Sport York and I was left embarrassed and isolated.

I kept my substance disability as private as I could under dreadful stigmatized circumstances. However I was unsuccessful as my life path and circumstances from 2008 identify.

Many persons at York University knew of my mental disabilities because of loose lips but also because I informed the York AD, my two assistant coaches and others.

Your comment regarding my leaving the first rehab early is irrelevant but consistent with York trying to create some element of negativity in my regard out of nothing. I left my first rehab early because I was worried about my employment and recruiting for York. Also, the treatment I received at the facility I attended in Laval, Quebec was criminalized. I was cleaning floors, washing toilets and working from 7-10 at night. In 2012 the Quebec government closed down the very same Laval rehab facility because of public complaints on the abuse of clients.

Note the comment from Barry Maclean - a nemesis - regarding my commitment to being “totally ethical”.

Your reference in regards to York University not discriminating against me lacks total credibility. Ms Armstrong you and York University have absolutely no credibility to make such statements. Once your AD Jenn Myers lied in a February 8, 2012 email stating she did not know I was dealing with health matters it set the stage for the false narrative which York’s legal counsel took advantage of by then egregiously lying in their submissions. As I now look in the mirror and see the horrific consequences of a ninth hunger strike protest seeking the transparency of Truth in this matter it stimulates many emotions. To reflect on the lengths York University have taken and are prepared to go to cover up the lie is unimaginable.

The Hillsborough Disaster documentary was both poignant and revealing. Not just because I have been a Liverpool supporter since I was 7 years of age; not just because of the excruciating pain of the victims and their loved ones; but also as if by some uncanny act of fate the social injustice elements and methodologies of preventing social justice through the brutality of an unlawful institutional abuse of power is replicated in the York University/Paul James matter.

I trust Ms. Maureen Armstrong you and your colleagues appreciate why I cannot disembark from this current hunger strike protest without full, complete, fair and respectful resolution. Thus far you have worked diligently as an academic institution to avoid responsibility for your shocking callousness in my regard and you have done so, at all costs. I and many others around Canada and the world do not trust or respect the York University as an institution. While I appreciate my personal well being and health is not of any concern to York University, perhaps you should begin to consider your institutional image instead. As it stands now York University have been a disgraceful, shameful representation of Canada in their handling of the Paul James matter. I cannot see how my ‘passing’ from starvation will assist a repair or enhance York University’s image in this regard.

Sincerely, Paul James