There’s a changing of the guard at the Chatham-Kent Sexual Assault Crisis Centre
(CKSACC).
Linda Soulliere is taking over as executive director from Michelle Schryer, who has
helmed the organization for more than 33 years.
Soulliere said she came to Chatham-Kent in recent years simply to retire. She’d
spent 25 years as the executive director of the Coalition for Persons with Disabilities
in Mississauga.
However, after a year here, she realized she wanted to continue helping others. A
temporary position at the Learning Disabilities Association of Chatham-Kent came
open, covering as executive director while Julia MacKellar was on maternity leave.
And now she’s stepped in to replace Schryer.
Soulliere admitted that the first thing that caught her off guard was the sheer
volume of domestic violence here.
“I was surprised at the number of victims in Chatham-Kent. I thought it was a small
town. It would be better. I thought life would be a little gentler here,” she said.
Soulliere sat in council chambers Dec. 11 in support of Schryer, who delivered a
deputation to municipal council calling for the declaration of an epidemic of
intimate partner violence in Chatham-Kent. The vote was unanimous.
Schryer and Soulliere have been working side-by-side this month as Soulliere learns
the ins and outs of the CKSACC. It has led to a great deal of mutual respect.
“Your approach has been the heart of the organization. The more I work with you,
the more I respect what you’ve accomplished,” Soulliere told Schryer. “I look at all
the things you’ve accomplished and how passionate you are. I just hope I can kind of
fill those shoes.”
Schryer said she’s not concerned.
“I’ve seen your resume,” she replied. “I’m not worried about you filling those shoes.”
Schryer said she’s looking forward to having more time with family, but also expects
to keep at least a toe, if not a foot, in the CKSACC door, helping where she can.
Soulliere said it’s appreciated.
“But, she’ll still be available if I need her,” she said.
Schryer, looking back on her career, said the death of Theresa Vince and the ensuing
inquest still sticks in her memory. Vince worked at the Sears in Chatham and was killed
by her boss in June of 1996. The man then killed himself. The incident led to an inquest,
one Schryer said was not easy to get.
“People were refusing to sign the petition. I penned it,” she said. “They were saying,
‘If you get this inquest, you might be sorry.’”
Schryer said the concern might be that it was a romance gone bad, and that could
harm the Vince family.
It wasn’t a romance gone bad, but was instead the sad end to years of sexual
harassment.
“Working with Theresa’s family was a privilege and an honour. They were
determined her death wasn’t going to be in vain,” she said. “If there had not been
that inquest, the larger issue of sexual harassment in the workplace would never
have been uncovered.”
