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- calendar_today October 20, 2026
Licences Revoked Following Investigations Into Teacher Conduct
Two teachers in Manitoba have had their teaching certificates permanently cancelled after investigations by the province’s independent teacher commissioner revealed serious breaches in professional boundaries through inappropriate communication and relationships with students.
Robert Gregoire: Years-Long Inappropriate Relationship Leads to Dismissal
Robert Gregoire, formerly of the River East Transcona School Division in Winnipeg, was found to have engaged in a years-long inappropriately close relationship with a student, beginning when she was in Grade 8. According to a disciplinary decision issued on October 6, 2026, Gregoire exchanged hundreds of personal text messages from his personal phone and sent over 1,000 messages via Microsoft Teams with the student between 2022 and 2024. Gregoire’s messages included terms of endearment such as "ma belle," "my beautiful," "muffin," and "princess." The report stated that Gregoire prioritized his own emotional needs over the student’s well-being, calling the conduct "a serious abuse of trust."
After the student moved on to high school, Gregoire pursued a position at her new school. Their communication reportedly continued late at night and during vacations, with Gregoire referring to the student as his "favourite" and "très spéciale." He invited her to meet outside of school at local restaurants, for ice cream, and to go skating during breaks.
School Administration Warnings Ignored
In June 2024, the middle school principal cautioned Gregoire against messaging students and reminded him of the division’s code of conduct, which specifically prohibits sending personal messages and giving special treatment or spending time with students outside school hours. Despite this, Gregoire continued communicating with the student and informed her about seeking employment at her high school. In December 2024, he hugged the student goodbye at the high school. Later that month, the division placed him on administrative leave.
Investigation and Disciplinary Actions
The River East Transcona School Division filed a formal complaint with the Manitoba teacher commissioner’s office on April 20, 2025. An investigation began the next day, resulting in Gregoire’s dismissal. He agreed to the facts determined by the investigation and acknowledged that his actions constituted professional misconduct. Gregoire surrendered his teaching certificate in May, which was then permanently cancelled. The disciplinary report highlighted that the ongoing messages and failure to disclose the relationship showed a "sustained and deliberate pattern of misconduct." Gregoire expressed remorse for his behaviour.
Second Case: Brady Nurse Loses Certification in Portage la Prairie
In a separate decision, Brady Nurse, a teacher in the Portage la Prairie School Division, also had his certificate revoked for inappropriate communication with a student. Nurse exchanged a series of texts with a student facing "heightened vulnerability" between October and December of the previous year. The RCMP’s involvement prompted the division to investigate, during which Nurse initially withheld some messages. Once confronted, he retrieved deleted messages, and within days was placed on leave. Nurse admitted to not disclosing all messages due to concern about their content being perceived as inappropriate. He resigned in March and surrendered his teaching certificate in May, which has now been revoked.
Broader Implications for Teacher Conduct and Oversight
Both cases were detailed in recent public postings on the Manitoba teacher commissioner’s disciplinary dashboard. The cases underscore the critical importance of maintaining professional boundaries and appropriate educator-student communication. The disciplinary actions reflect the province’s approach to addressing teacher misconduct and ensuring student safety in educational settings.
Source: cbc.ca.
