Winnipeg: A former teacher in Canada’s Manitoba province has permanently lost his teaching certificate after an investigation found that he maintained inappropriate personal contact with a female student over several years.
According to a disciplinary decision, Robert Gregoire began developing a personal relationship with the student in 2022 while working for the River East Transcona School Division, when she was in Grade 8. He sent hundreds of messages to her using his personal phone, while more than 1,000 messages were exchanged through Microsoft Teams between 2022 and 2024.
The report said Gregoire used intimate terms such as “my beauty”, “muffin”, “princess” and “favourite student” when addressing the girl. He continued messaging her late at night and in the early hours, including after she moved from middle school to high school.
The teacher also attempted to secure a job at her new school and later expressed excitement about teaching her classes. He invited her to meet outside school at restaurants, go for ice cream and go skating during school holidays.
In June 2024, the middle school principal instructed Gregoire to stop contacting students through private messages. He was told that online communication with students must be educational in nature and conducted through approved platforms.
The school division placed him on administrative leave in December 2024. The case was referred to Manitoba’s independent Commissioner of Teacher Professional Conduct in April 2025.
During the investigation, Gregoire admitted the facts presented and acknowledged that his conduct amounted to professional misconduct. He surrendered his teaching certificate in May, and it was permanently revoked after the investigation concluded.
The disciplinary report described the prolonged exchange of thousands of messages and the concealment of the relationship as serious, ongoing misconduct rather than an isolated lapse in judgment. The case has renewed concerns about student safeguarding, professional boundaries and the need for effective oversight of teacher conduct.
