Royal Bank of Canada signage is pictured in the financial district in Toronto Sept. 8, 2023. The former chief financial officer of RBC is again pushing back against claims by the bank that it was justified in firing her for allegedly breaching its code of conduct. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj

TORONTO - The former chief financial officer of RBC is again pushing back against claims by the bank that it was justified in firing her for allegedly breaching its code of conduct.

After initially challenging the claims with a $50 million lawsuit against RBC, Nadine Ahn has sought to further push back in her reply and defence to the bank's counterclaim filed Thursday where she maintains that her relationship with colleague Ken Mason was one of friends and not romantic.

The bank fired both Ahn and Mason on April 5, alleging they were in an undisclosed close personal relationship leading to preferential treatment of Mason, including compensation increases.

Ahn acknowledged in her legal reply that she supported salary increases for Mason, but maintains they were merit-based, noting another colleague received an identical pay increase, and that her friendship with Mason did not influence her actions.

RBC detailed its justification for firing her in a statement of defence filed in August, including a whistleblower complaint that the two were seen kissing and hugging at a hotel, along with references to poems, a commemorative photobook and other evidence of a close relationship.

Ahn categorically denies the allegations in the anonymous complaint, denies any knowledge of the poem, photobook or preserved coaster that the bank noted in its lawsuit, and maintains that the shared cocktails, nicknames and references of love were the actions of workplace friends.

Her lawyer Mark Fletcher said in a statement Thursday that the bank has selectively quoted communications to try and embarrass, intimidate and maliciously manufacture a case against her.

"There is no policy against workplace friendships, and that’s all this was. Satirical jokes and platonic expressions of affection were common between Nadine and Ken Mason, and well known to colleagues."

Fletcher accused the bank of selectively weaponizing its policies to attack her reputation.

"The lengths RBC has gone to publicly humiliate Nadine, a woman with an impressive track record on their executive leadership team, is shameful.”

The bank has maintained that it fired Ahn after a thorough review with an investigation by outside legal counsel, where the facts were very clear there was a significant breach of the bank's code of conduct based on "irrefutable evidence."

RBC spokeswoman Gillian McArdle declined to comment on the latest filing, but has said Ahn's initial claims are without merit and that the bank was disappointed to learn the allegations against her were true.

RBC values its culture of holding employees, especially senior leaders, to high ethical standards, she said in a previous statement, "and a CFO’s integrity must be beyond reproach."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2024.

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