Deceived students have already denounced a beauty school in a first report to La bill. Since then, the establishment has changed its name, but the same man is still there.
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Marie-Pier Halley regrets enrolling in the Medical Aesthetic School in 2022.
- Esther Normand (View profile)Esther Normand
At 23, Marie-Pier Halley has a dream: having her own beauty clinic. This young nurse is therefore enrolling at the École Esthétique Médicale de Laval, in July 2022.
I've wanted to be an entrepreneur for a long time and I want to run my own business […], work in aesthetics.
A quote from Marie-Pier Halley
She pays top dollar: $18,395.
On October 31, 2022, the school postponed her practical training while she had struggled to obtain leave at her own expense.
The next day, the report from The invoicehighlighted serious deficiencies in the training provided. Finally, the school committed to correcting the situation for dissatisfied customers.
Marie-Pier came forward after the broadcast, exasperated by Theoretical classes often canceled at the last minute, tired of waiting after practical training that she will never receive. At one point, I wanted it to happen. So I asked for a refund, she explains.
She estimates the value of the lessons she did not receive at $12,000. And in his eyes, the loss is even greater, because the courses taken were of poor quality.
The company premises.
After trying multiple times to speak to a manager on the phone, she finally contacted the man referred to as the director, Jonathan Legault. He will reimburse it, he says, as soon as he has established the cost of the lessons not received. This call will not be followed up.
In addition to Marie-Pier, we communicated with several students from the Medical Aesthetic School, shocked by the actions of the establishment.
An establishment that has quite a surprise in store for Marie-Pier: the Medical Aesthetic School has made way for Dermysk. This new company, which occupies the same premises as the old one, in Laval, also has branches in Toronto, Regina and Edmonton.
A manager explains to Marie-Pier on the phone: We were bought by Dermysk. So, we support former students, but we are a new academy.
We confirm that a partial refund will be granted. The director will call her back, she is promised.
But the call does not come. Marie-Pier Halley leaves Lévis to go to the aesthetics school in Laval. Mr. Legault, the director, introduces himself. He confirms that the Medical Aesthetic School is closed and that it has been bought by Dermysk.
He also tells her that there will be no reimbursement, only courses offered… in Edmonton. Her confidence shaken, she refuses.
Lawyer and law professor Louis-Charles Sirois specifies that if Dermysk really bought the Medical Aesthetic School, she has responsibilities towards her students. When one company buys the other […], the debts are assumed by the new company.
We can't cut with the past that easily. This is legally false.
A quote from Louis-Charles Sirois, professor of law, University of Ottawa
Ali Cadili
The Medical Aesthetic School still exists in the registry businesses in Quebec. Dr. Ali Cadili, who has already appeared as the first shareholder in the Quebec company register, is the same one behind Dermysk.
In 2022, the College of Physicians of Saskatchewan suspended him for activities related to his Clear Health Inn clinic in Regina. Hyperbaric chamber, light therapy, vitamin C. Treatments without any scientific value were sold to people with cancer.
The legal advisor of the College of Physicians of Saskatchewan, Bryan Salte, explains that at Dr. Cadili's clinic, false hope was raised in vulnerable people.
From our point of view view, [it’s] very serious, he says.
Ali Cadili has not since renewed his license to practice in Saskatchewan.
In a dispute between him and three former employees of the Medical Aesthetic School, a judge also found that he used a certain Husain as a nominee in the Company Register. As for Dermysk, its name appears as the largest shareholder. However, in this company, we are told that he is not responsible.
During a call to Dermysk, The billhad confirmation that Ali Cadili was there. But he gave no sign of life, neither by telephone nor by email. Jonathan Legault wrote that he himself had no involvement in the management of the Medical Aesthetic School. He added that at Dermysk, we consult him on occasion, especially in connection with his past experience with the School.
Lawyer and law professor Louis-Charles Sirois, from the University of Ottawa
Professor Sirois believes that the numerous links between the two companies prove that they are the same traders. There are communicating vessels between the two businesses, he believes. A glimmer of hope for all the students who informed La Facture of the proceedings they had initiated. If it is the same company, says Mr. Sirois, it will be simpler for the judge to order both companies to reimburse.
Marie-Pier filed a lawsuit against the École Esthétique Médicale in the small claims division. His claim: $15,000. According to Louis-Charles Sirois, Marie-Pier could also have sued Dermysk and its main shareholder under certain conditions. We will see if there is any shenanigans and if there is, we could even order the shareholder and his company to pay, according to Mr. Sirois.
At Dermysk, no interview, but an email explaining that ex-employees were working to undermine the School of Medical Aesthetics.
Dermysk specifies that several changes have been made to its courses in order to improve the curriculum and provide better training. As for Ali Cadili's involvement in Dermysk, radio silence.
Today, in Dermysk Square, we see a new poster on the facade of the company: Skynique. For the moment, Skynique is not in the company register and it has not been possible for us to verify its links with Dermysk or with the École Esthétique Médicale. On the other hand, the office address is always the same.
Recently, Marie-Pier received a formal notice from Dermysk which offered to settle for $6500. In exchange, she had to sign a letter of apology, a copy of which Dermysk provided her with for having made unfair and inappropriate comments.
This letter mentioned that she wished to withdraw her testimony and that she requested that the show not be able to broadcast her comments. If La bill released them despite everything, Marie-Pier had to publicly retract.
Marie-Pier resisted, even if she would have really needed this money. All his savings were swallowed up in this training. No more question of opening your own clinic. For her, it is a bitter disappointment.
The report by journalist Esther Normand and director Stéphanie Allaire will be broadcasttonight at La bill at 7 p.m. 30.
- Esther Normand (View profile)Esther NormandFollow