Eric Einagel News Today

Six months after an alleged assault at an Ottawa fire station that resulted in criminal charges against a firefighter and a captain, Ottawa Fire Services ordered all officers to clamp down on physical altercations between crew members.

The former Ottawa firefighter accused of assaulting and choking a non-binary crewmate during an altercation over the dinner dishes flatly denies feeling angry or frustrated with the complainant, insisting he never placed his hand on their throat during the incident.

After hearing from just two witnesses, the Crown has finished calling evidence in their case against a former Ottawa firefighter accused of assaulting and choking a non-binary colleague, and their captain who's accused of trying to prevent the complainant from reporting the incident.

The first witness in the criminal trial of a former Ottawa firefighter accused of choking a rookie colleague over a dishwashing dispute said the physical altercation initially appeared "mutual."

After coming forward, the complainant was told from the top to stay silent and not to talk it out with anyone on the fire department.

After coming forward, the complainant was told from the top to stay silent and not to talk it out with anyone on the fire department.

After coming forward, the complainant was told from the top to stay silent and not to talk it out with anyone on the fire department.

A ritualistic dishwashing competition at an Ottawa fire station last year escalated to choking, and later that day a supervisor discouraged the victim — an openly non-binary rookie firefighter — from reporting it, two internal fire department investigations obtained by CBC have found.

“This situation started off as a physical interaction that was consensual by both parties as implied by mutual participation in shoving one another."

“This situation started off as a physical interaction that was consensual by both parties as implied by mutual participation in shoving one another."